Systems and methods of object detection in wireless power charging systems

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for wireless power transmission based on object identification are provided. A radio frequency wireless power transmitter is in communication with a video camera for capturing image data (e.g., a visual pattern) of at least a portion of a transmission field of the radio frequency wireless power transmitter. A processor of the radio frequency wireless power transmitter is configured to identify an object when the visual pattern matches a pre-stored visual pattern representing the object, and control transmission of one or more radio frequency power transmission waves to a receiving electronic device based on a location of the identified object, wherein the receiving electronic device uses the one or more radio frequency power transmission waves to power or to charge the receiving electronic device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 16/412,316, filed May 14, 2019, entitled “SystemsAnd Methods Of Object Detection In Wireless Power Charging Systems”,which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser.No. 15/053,292, filed Feb. 25, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,291,056),entitled “Systems And Methods Of Controlling Transmission Of WirelessPower Based On Object Indentification Using A Video Camera,” which is:

-   -   a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent        Application Ser. No. 62/387,467, entitled “Systems and Methods        of Object Detection in Wireless Power Charging Systems,” filed        Dec. 24, 2015;    -   (ii) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.        14/856,337, entitled “Systems and Methods for Wireless Power        Charging,” filed Sep. 16, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,312,715);        and    -   (iii) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.        14/861,285, entitled “Systems and Methods for Identifying        Sensitive Objects in a Wireless Power Transmission Field,” filed        Sep. 22, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,948,135), which are        incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application generally relates to wireless charging systems and thehardware and software components used in such systems.

BACKGROUND

Numerous attempts have been made to wirelessly transmit energy toelectronic devices, where a receiver device can consume the transmissionand convert it to electrical energy. However, most conventionaltechniques are unable to transmit energy at any meaningful distance. Forexample, magnetic resonance provides electric power to devices withoutrequiring an electronic device to be wired to a power resonator.However, the electronic device is required to be proximately located toa coil of the power resonator (i.e., within a magnetic field). Otherconventional solutions may not contemplate user mobility for users whoare charging their mobile devices or such solutions do not allow devicesto be outside of a narrow window of operability.

Wirelessly powering a remote electronic device requires a means foridentifying the location of electronic devices within a transmissionfield of a power-transmitting device. Conventional systems typicallyattempt to proximately locate an electronic device, so there are nocapabilities for identifying and mapping the spectrum of availabledevices to charge, for example, in a large coffee shop, household,office building, or other three-dimensional space in which electricaldevices could potentially move around. Moreover, what is needed is asystem for managing power wave production, both for directionalitypurposes and power output modulation. Because many conventional systemsdo not contemplate a wide range of movement of the electronic devicesthey service, what is also needed is a means for dynamically andaccurately tracking electronic devices that may be serviced by thepower-transmitting devices.

Wireless power transmission may need to satisfy certain regulatoryrequirements. These devices transmitting wireless energy may be requiredto adhere to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure protection standardsfor humans or other living beings. Maximum exposure limits are definedby US and European standards in terms of power density limits andelectric field limits (as well as magnetic field limits). Some of theselimits are established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)for Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE), and some limits are establishedby European regulators for radiation exposure. Limits established by theFCC for MPE are codified at 47 CFR § 1. 1310. For electromagnetic field(EMF) frequencies in the microwave range, power density can be used toexpress an intensity of exposure. Power density is defined as power perunit area. For example, power density can be commonly expressed in termsof watts per square meter (W/m²), milliwatts per square centimeter(mW/cm²), or microwatts per square centimeter (μW/cm²). In addition,there may be a need to avoid transmitting power waves where sensitiveobjects such as sensitive electronic devices, sensitive computingdevices, or sensitive medical equipment may be located.

Accordingly, it is desirable to appropriately administer the systems andmethods for wireless power transmission to satisfy these regulatoryrequirements. What is needed is a means for wireless power transmissionthat incorporates various safety techniques to ensure that humans orother living beings within a transmission field are not exposed to EMFenergy near or above regulatory limits or other nominal limits, and thatother sensitive objects are not exposed to EMF energy beyond a nominallimit. What is needed is a means for monitoring and tracking objectswithin a transmission field in real-time and providing a means forcontrolling the production of power waves to adaptively adjust to theenvironment within the transmission field.

SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are systems and methods intended to address theshortcomings in the art and may provide additional or alternativeadvantages as well. Embodiments disclosed herein may generate andtransmit power waves that, as result of their physical waveformcharacteristics (e.g., frequency, amplitude, phase, gain, direction),converge at a predetermined location in a transmission field to generatea pocket of energy. Receivers associated with an electronic device beingpowered by the wireless charging system, may extract energy from thesepocket of energy and then convert that energy into usable electric powerfor the electronic device associated with a receiver. The pocket ofenergy may manifest as a three-dimensional field (e.g., transmissionfield), where energy may be harvested by receivers positioned within ornearby a pocket of energy. In some embodiments, transmitters may performadaptive pocket forming by adjusting transmission of the power waves inorder to regulate power levels based on inputted sensor data fromsensors or to avoid certain objects. One or more techniques foridentifying receivers and people in the transmission field may beemployed to determine where pocket of energy should be formed and wherepower waves should be transmitted. In order to identify people, objects,or other items populated within the transmitter's field of view, sensorsmay generate sensor data and cameras may generate image data and thesensor data and image data may be processed to identify areas that thepower waves should avoid. This sensor data and the image data may be anadditional or alternative form of device-mapping data generated by thetransmitter, indicating where receivers are populated in thetransmitter's field of view and where power transmission may be avoided.

In an embodiment, a method for wireless power transmission includestransmitting, by a transmitter, power waves that converge to formconstructive interference at a location associated with a receiver. Themethod further includes generating, by at least one thermal imagingcamera in communication with the transmitter, a thermal image of atleast a portion of a transmission field of the transmitter. The methodfurther includes identifying, by the transmitter, a living being in thetransmission field of the transmitter based upon temperature data in thethermal image. The method further includes determining, by thetransmitter, a proximity of the identified living being to the powerwaves. The method further includes adjusting, by the transmitter, apower level of the power waves upon determining that the proximity ofthe living being is within a predefined distance from the power waves.

In another embodiment, a transmitter for wireless power transmissionincludes a thermal imaging camera configured to generate a thermal imageof at least a portion of a transmission field of the transmitter. Thetransmitter further includes a controller configured to receive athermal image from the thermal imaging cameras, identify a living beingin the transmission field of the transmitter based upon temperature datain the thermal image, determine a proximity of the identified livingbeing to power waves generated by the transmitter, and adjust a powerlevel of the power waves upon determining that the proximity of theliving being is within a predefined distance from the power waves. Inanother embodiment, a method for wireless power transmission includesgenerating, by an imaging sensor in communication with a transmitter,visual imaging data for a living being or sensitive object within atleast a portion of a transmission field of the transmitter. The methodfurther includes generating, by at least two ultrasound transducers incommunication with the transmitter, ultrasound detection dataidentifying one or more objects. The method further includesdetermining, by the transmitter, a location of the living being or thesensitive object in the transmission field based upon the visual imagingdata and the ultrasound detection data. The method further includestransmitting, by the transmitter, power waves that converge at alocation of a receiver based upon the location of the living being orsensitive object.

In another embodiment, a transmitter for wireless power transmissionincludes an imaging sensor configured to generate visual imaging datafor a living being or sensitive object within at least a portion of atransmission field of the transmitter. The transmitter further includesat least two ultrasound transducers configured to generate ultrasounddetection data identifying one or more objects. The transmitter furtherincludes a processor configured to determine a location of the livingbeing or the sensitive object in the transmission field based upon thevisual imaging data and the ultrasound detection data, and controltransmission of power waves that converge at a location of a receiverbased upon the location of the living being or sensitive object.

In another embodiment, a transmitter for wireless power transmissionincludes an imaging sensor configured to generate visual imaging data ina two-dimensional plane for a living being or sensitive object within atleast a portion of a transmission field of the transmitter. Thetransmitter further includes at least two ultrasound transducersconfigured to generate ultrasound detection data in a two-dimensionalplane identifying one or more objects. The transmitter further includesa processor configured to determine a location of the living being orthe sensitive object in the transmission field when a location of theliving being or sensitive object in the two-dimensional plane of thevisual imaging data corresponds to a location of an object in thetwo-dimensional plane of the ultrasound detection data, and controltransmission of power waves that converge at a location of a receiverbased upon the determined location of the living being or sensitiveobject.

In another embodiment, a system for wireless power transmission includesa video camera for capturing image data of one or more objects in atransmission field of a transmitter configured to transmit wirelesspower. The system further includes a processor of the transmitterconfigured to receive the image data from the video camera; and generatesymbolic data by processing the image data, wherein the symbolic datacorresponds to data represented by a numerical value for each of the oneor more objects in the image data.

In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method for wireless powertransmission includes capturing, by a video camera, image data of one ormore objects in a transmission field of a transmitter configured totransmit wireless power. The computer-implemented method furtherincludes receiving, by a processor of the transmitter, the image datacapturing the one or more objects from the video camera. Thecomputer-implemented method further includes generating, by theprocessor, symbolic data by processing the image data, wherein thesymbolic data corresponds to data represented by a numerical value foreach of the one or more objects in the image data.

In another embodiment, a system for wireless power transmission includesa video camera for capturing image data of at least a portion of atransmission field of the transmitter where the image data comprises avisual pattern. The system further includes a processor of thetransmitter configured to identify an object when the visual patternmatches a pre-stored visual pattern representing the object; and controltransmission of one or more power transmission waves based on a locationof the identified object.

In another embodiment, a computer-implemented method for wireless powertransmission includes generating, by a video camera of a transmitter,image data of at least a portion of a transmission field, wherein theimage data comprises a visual pattern. The method further includesidentifying, by a processor of the transmitter, an object when thevisual pattern matches a pre-stored visual pattern representing theobject. The method further includes controlling, by the processor,transmission of one or more power transmission waves based on a locationof the identified object.

In another embodiment, a transmitter for wireless power transmissionincludes an image processor configured to receive image data from acamera and identify a first set of coordinates of an object in the imagedata with respect to a location of the camera. The transmitter furtherincludes an ultrasound processor configured to receive ultrasound datafrom at least two ultrasound transducers and identify a second set ofcoordinates of an object in the ultrasound data with respect to alocation of the camera. The transmitter further includes a decisionmanager processor configured to determine a distance of the object inthe first image data from a location of the transmitter based upon thefirst set of coordinates to the second set of coordinates. Thetransmitter further includes a set of antennas configured to transmit apower transmission signal based upon the distance of the object in thefirst image data.

In another embodiment, a transmitter for wireless power transmissionincludes a first processor configured to receive first image data of afirst type from a first sensor and identify a first set of coordinatesof an object in the first image data with respect to a location of thefirst sensor. The transmitter further includes a second processorconfigured to receive second data of a second type from a set of secondsensors and identify a second set of coordinates of an object in thesecond data with respect to a location of the first sensor. Thetransmitter further includes a third processor configured to determine adistance of the object in the first image data from a location of thetransmitter based upon the first set of coordinates to the second set ofcoordinates. The transmitter further includes a set of antennasconfigured to transmit a power transmission signal based upon thedistance of the object in the first image data. The functionality of twoor more of the first, second, and third processors can be executed by asingle processor.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and areintended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings constitute a part of this specification andillustrate embodiments of the invention. The present disclosure can bebetter understood by referring to the following figures. The componentsin the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead beingplaced upon illustrating the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows components of an exemplary wireless charging system,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary transmitter of a power transmission system,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows components of an exemplary wireless power transmissionsystem for identifying objects within a transmission field of atransmitter using thermal imaging cameras, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system using thermal imaging cameras, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows components of an exemplary wireless charging system foridentifying objects within a transmission field of a transmitter using athermal imaging camera with ultrasonic transducers, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates components of a system for wireless powertransmission system for identifying objects within a transmission fieldof a transmitter using ultrasonic transducers, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a wireless power transmission systemwith thermal imaging camera and ultrasonic transducers, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a two dimensional, X-Y grid of the field of view of a thermalimaging camera displaying several visually contiguous human temperaturepixel patterns.

FIG. 9 illustrates an architecture of components of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system using a thermal imaging camera with ultrasonictransducers, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a simplified example of identification of selected featuresand extraction of selected video segments of wireless power transmissionin a wireless power transmission system, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating steps of computer video analyticsof video imaging data captured during wireless power transmission in awireless power transmission system, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying receiverswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of one or more transmitters of a pluralityof transmitters of a wireless power transmission system, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is here described in detail with reference toembodiments illustrated in the drawings, which form a part here. Otherembodiments may be used and/or other changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Theillustrative embodiments described in the detailed description are notmeant to be limiting of the subject matter presented here.

In a wireless power transmission system, the transmitters are devicesthat comprise, or are otherwise associated with, various components andcircuits responsible for, e.g., generating and transmitting power waves,forming pockets of energy at locations in a transmission field,monitoring the conditions of the transmission field, and generating nullspaces where needed. The transmitter may generate and transmit powerwaves for pocket-forming based on location of one or more receiversand/or may execute null steering based on location of one or moreobjects such as humans, animals, and other sensitive objects within atransmission field of the transmitter. One or more parametersrecognizing the location of the receivers and objects, may be determinedby a transmitter processor, based on data received from the one or morereceivers, one or more video cameras internal to the transmitter, one ormore video cameras external to the transmitter, one or more sensorsinternal to the transmitter, and/or one or more sensors external to thetransmitter. With regard to the video cameras of the wireless powertransmission system, it should be appreciated that an internal videocamera may be an integral component of the transmitter. It should alsobe appreciated that an external video camera may be a camera that isplaced within the transmission field of the transmitter, and may be inwired or wireless communication with one or more other transmitters ofthe wireless power transmission system. With regard to the sensors ofthe wireless power transmission system, it should be appreciated that aninternal sensors may be an integral component of the transmitter. Itshould also be appreciated that an external sensor may be a sensordevice that is placed within the transmission field of the transmitter,and may be in wired or wireless communication with one or more othertransmitters of the wireless power transmission system.

The transmitters may wirelessly transmit power waves having certainphysical waveform characteristics, which are particular to theparticular waveform technology implemented. The power waves may betransmitted to the receivers within the transmission field of thetransmitters in form of any physical media capable of propagatingthrough space and being converted into useable electrical energy forcharging the one or more electronic devices. The examples of thephysical media may include radio frequency (RF) waves, infrared,acoustics, electromagnetic fields, and ultrasound. The powertransmission signals may include any radio signal, having any frequencyor wavelength. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatthe wireless charging techniques are not limited to RF wave transmissiontechniques, but may include alternative or additional techniques fortransmitting energy to the one or more receivers.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated inthe drawings, and specific language will be used here to describe thesame. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scopeof the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and furthermodifications of the inventive features illustrated here, and additionalapplications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated here,which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and havingpossession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope ofthe invention.

Exemplary Components of Wireless Charging Systems

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless power transmission system 100, accordingto an exemplary embodiment. The exemplary system 100 may comprise atransmitter 102 comprising an antenna array 106 transmitting power waves104 to generate pocket of energy 112 in a transmission field of thetransmitter 102, and receivers coupled to electronic device 108, 110 andconfigured to convert energy captured from the pocket of energy 112 intopower for the electronic devices 108, 110. Non-limiting examples of theelectronic device 108, 110 may include: laptops, mobile phones,smartphones, tablets, music players, toys, batteries, flashlights,lamps, electronic watches, cameras, gaming consoles, appliances, and GPSdevices among other types of electrical devices.

The transmitter 102 may be an electronic device comprising a chip orother form of integrated circuit that may generate the power waves 104,such as radio-frequency (RF) waves, whereby at least one RF wave isphase shifted and gain adjusted with respect to at least one other RFwave. The transmitter 102 transmits the power waves 104 from the antennaarray 106 to the receivers coupled to or integrated within the one ormore electronic devices 108, 110, which in the exemplary system 100 ofFIG. 1 include a mobile phone 108 and a laptop 110.

The receiver be an electronic device comprising at least one antenna, atleast one rectifying circuit, and at least one power converter, wherethese components may capture and convert energy from the pocket ofenergy 112 for powering or charging the electronic device 108, 110,coupled to or comprising the receiver. Moreover, it should beappreciated that receivers may be an integrated or external component ofthe electronic device 108, 110, or may otherwise be coupled to anelectronic device 108, 110.

A microprocessor of the transmitter 102 may control formation andtransmission of the power waves 104, such that the power waves 104converge to form the pocket of energy 112 at a location determined bythe microprocessor to be an effective location for providing energy tothe receiver, and may also avoid obstacles or people. The pocket ofenergy 112 (or energy pocket) may be an area or region of space whereenergy or power may accumulate due to a convergence of the power waves104, causing constructive interference at that area or region. A pocketof energy 112 may be formed at locations of constructive interferencepatterns caused by the converging power waves 104 transmitted by thetransmitter 102. The pocket of energy 112 may manifest as athree-dimensional field where energy may be captured by the receiverslocated within or proximate to the pocket of energy 112. The pocket ofenergy 112 produced by the transmitter 102 during pocket formingprocesses may be harvested by the receiver, converted to the electricalcharge, and then provided as power or voltage to the electronic device108, 110 (e.g., laptop computer 110, smartphone 108, rechargeablebattery) associated with the receiver. In the illustrative embodiment,the pocket of energy 112 is intended in the locations of the electronicdevices, such as the mobile phone 108 and the laptop 110. Thetransmitter 102 is further configured to transmit the power waves 104that may converge destructively in three-dimensional space to create theone or more nulls (not shown) in the one or more locations where thepower waves 104 cancel each other out substantially. The microprocessorof the transmitter 102 may similarly control formation and transmissionof the power waves 104 that converge destructively to form the one ormore nulls.

In order to form the pocket of energy 112 at a targeted location andprovide energy to the receivers coupled to or integrated within the oneor more electronic devices (e.g., mobile phone 108, laptop 110), themicroprocessor of the transmitter 102 may be further configured toreceive one or more parameters indicating the locations of theelectronic devices (e.g., mobile phone 108, laptop 110) using theexemplary system components with sensor operations, and based on theseone or more parameters, the microprocessor of the transmitter 102 mayselect an output frequency, phase, or amplitude of the power waves 104,determine which antennas of the antenna array 106 should transmit(thereby defining a shape of actively transmitting antennas), anddetermine the spacing of between actively transmitting antennas in atleast one antenna array of the antenna arrays 106. The microprocessor ofthe transmitter 102 is further configured to, based on the one or moreparameters obtained using the exemplary system components with sensoroperations recognizing the location of one or more objects such ashumans and animals, select the output frequency, phase, or amplitude ofthe power waves 104, which antennas of the antenna arrays 106 shouldtransmit, and spacing between antennas in at least one antenna array ofthe antenna arrays 106 to form the one or more null spaces at the one ormore locations of the one or more objects within the transmission fieldof the transmitter 102. The pockets of energy 112 are formed where thepower waves 104 accumulate to form a three-dimensional field of energy,around which one or more corresponding transmission null in a particularphysical location may be generated by the transmitter 102.

A receiver may comprise a communications component that may communicatevarious types of data with the transmitter 102, such as data indicatingthe receiver's position or location with respect to the transmitter 102.The communications component may be include circuitry that enables thereceiver to communicate with the transmitter 102 by transmittingcommunication signals over a wireless protocol. Non-limiting examples ofsuch a wireless protocol used by the communications component mayinclude Bluetooth®, BLE, Wi-Fi, NFC, and the like. Other examples ofdata that the communications component may include an identifier for theelectronic devices 108, 110 (device ID), battery level information ofthe electronic devices 108, 110, geographic location data of theelectronic devices 108, 110, or other information that may be of use forthe transmitter 102 in determining when and where to send the powerwaves 104 for creating the pocket of energy 112.

The receiver may then utilize the power waves 104 emitted by thetransmitter 102 to establish the pocket of energy 112, for charging orpowering the electronic devices 108, 110. The receiver may includecircuitry for converting the power waves 104 into the electrical energythat may be provided to the electronic devices 108, 110. In otherembodiments of the present disclosure, there can be multipletransmitters and/or multiple antenna arrays for powering variouselectronic equipment for example, may include batteries, smartphones,tablets, music players, toys, and other items.

In some embodiments, the electronic devices 108, 110 may be distinctfrom the receiver associated with the electronic devices 108, 110. Insuch embodiments, the electronic devices 108, 110 may be connected tothe receiver over a wire that conveys converted electrical energy fromthe receiver to the electronic devices 108, 110.

After receiving the communication from the receiver by the transmitter102, the transmitter 102 identifies and locates the receiver. A path isestablished, through which the transmitter 102 may know the gain andphases of the communication signals coming from the receiver. Inaddition to the communication signals from the receiver, the transmitter102 receives still image data and/or video image data, from one or morecameras that are integral components of the transmitter 102 or may bepresent within the transmission field of the transmitter 102, about thepresence of the receiver and the presence of the one or more objectssuch as humans and animals. The camera may be any video camera thatcaptures image data representative of a period of time in a scene. Thevideo data may refer to a series of frames and associated timinginformation. The video is used to refer to both a video display, i.e.the display of streamed frames, and also to video data, i.e. the digitalinformation which may be stored or used to produce a video display. Theimage data may refer to a single complete still image in a sequence ofimages that creates the illusion of motion within a scene when displayedin rapid succession (streamed). The image data is also used to refer todigital information representative of the single still image. The imagedata within the video may be associated with a brief period of time,often generating multiple frames per second. The image data is thenconverted by the transmitter 102 into a suitable format to accuratelyidentify the location of the receiver and/or the one or more objectswithin the transmission field of the transmitter 102. In someembodiments, the transmitter 102 may also receive data from the one ormore internal sensors or externally coupled sensors of the transmitter102, data about the location of the receivers and/or the location of theone or more objects or obstacles, such as human beings, tables, andanimals. The camera may capture image data, including still images orvideo images using ultrasound, infrared, thermal, magnetic resonance(MRI), visible light, or the like.

Based on any combination of the various types of data that may bereceived from the one or more cameras, internal sensors, externalsensors, heating mapping data, and communication signals from thereceiver, the microprocessor of the transmitter 102 may determine theone or more parameters for generating the power waves 104, which will beused as the data inputs when the microprocessor proceeds to determinehow to effectively produce the pocket of energy 112 at the targetedlocations. For instance, after the determination of the one or moreparameters, the transmitter 102 may then select a type of waveform forthe power waves 104 to be transmitted (e.g., chirp waves), and an outputfrequency of the power waves 104, which the transmitter 102 thentransmits to generate the pocket of energy 112 at the targeted locationswithin the transmission field of the transmitter 102.

In some embodiments, in addition to selecting the type of the powerwaves 104, and determining the output frequency of the power waves 104,the transmitter 102 may also select a subset of antennas from a fixedphysical shape of the antenna array 106 that corresponds to a desiredspacing of antennas, which will be used to generate the pocket of energy112 at the targeted locations within the transmission field of thetransmitter 102. After the selection of the output frequency, phase, oramplitude of the power waves 104, which antennas of the antenna array106 are transmitting, and spacing between antennas in each of the one ormore antenna arrays 106, the antennas of the transmitter 102 may startto transmit the power waves 104 that may converge in thethree-dimensional space. These power waves 104 may also be produced byusing an external power source and a local oscillator chip using apiezoelectric material. The power waves 104 are constantly controlled bythe microprocessor of the transmitter 102, which may also include aproprietary chip for adjusting phase and/or relative magnitudes of thepower waves 104. The phase, gain, amplitude, frequency, and otherwaveform features of the power waves 104 are determined based on the oneor more parameters, and may serve as one of the inputs for the antennasto form the pocket of energy 112.

Exemplary Transmitter Device

FIG. 2 illustrates a transmitter 200 of a wireless power transmissionsystem, according to an exemplary embodiment. The wireless powertransmission system includes the transmitter 200 and an admin computer214 (also referred to as administrator computer). The transmitter 200includes antennas 202, a communication component 204, a processor 206,cameras 208, sensors 210, and a memory 212. The transmitter 200 may sendvarious types of waves such as power waves into a transmission field ofthe transmitter 200. The transmission field of a transmitter 200 may bea two or three-dimensional space into which the transmitter 200 maytransmit the power waves.

The transmitter 200 may be designed to function as a single transmitter.In another embodiment, there may be a plurality of transmitters whereeach of the plurality of transmitters are designed to workindependently. The transmitter 200 may include or be associated with theprocessor 206 (or a microprocessor). The processor may control, manage,and otherwise govern the various processes, functions, and components ofthe transmitter 200. The processor 206 implements a system to controlthe operations of the transmitter 200. The processor may be anintegrated circuit that includes logic gates, circuitry, and interfacesthat are operable to execute various processes and tasks for controllingthe behavior of the transmitter 200 as described herein. The processormay comprise or implement a number of processor technologies known inthe art; non-limiting examples of the processor include, but are notlimited to, an x86 processor, an ARM processor, a Reduced InstructionSet Computing (RISC) processor, an Application-Specific IntegratedCircuit (ASIC) processor, or a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC)processor, among others. The processor may also include a GraphicsProcessor (GPIS) that executes the set of instructions to perform one ormore processing operations associated with handling various forms ofgraphical data, such as data received from a visual or thermal camera,or to produce a graphical user interface (GUI) allowing a user toconfigure and manage operation of the transmitter 200.

The processor 206 may be configured to process and communicate varioustypes of data (e.g., image data and/or video data obtained from videocameras of the cameras 208, and/or sensor data obtained from the sensors210). Additionally or alternatively, the processor 206 may manageexecution of various processes and functions of the transmitter 200, andmay manage the components of the transmitter 200. In one example, theprocessor 208 may process the image data and/or video data of one ormore objects captured by the cameras 208, to identify human objectsand/or receivers that may inhabit the transmission field of thetransmitter 200. In another example, the processor may process thesensor data of one or more objects captured by the sensors 210, toidentify human objects and/or receivers that may inhabit thetransmission field of the transmitter 200. In yet another example, theprocessor 208 may generate heat-mapping data from communications signalsreceived by the communications component 204, and then, based upon thesensor data received from the sensor 210, the processor 208 maydetermine the safest and most effective characteristics for the powerwaves. Additional discussion and examples of functions related todetermining how to formulate and transmit power waves, in order toeffectively and safely provide energy to receivers, may be found in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/856,337, entitled “Systems and Methodsfor Wireless Power Charging,” filed Sep. 16, 2015.

In an embodiment, the transmitter 200 corresponds to a singletransmitter that may include a single transmitter processor. However, itshould be appreciated that, in some cases, a single transmitterprocessor may control and govern multiple transmitters. For example, thetransmitters may be coupled to the admin computer 214 comprising aprocessor that executes software modules instructing the processor ofthe admin computer 214 to function as the transmitter processor capableof controlling the behavior of the various transmitters. Additionally oralternatively, the single transmitter 200 may include multipleprocessors configured to execute or control specified aspects of thetransmitter's behavior and components. For example, the transmitter 200may include an image processing processor and a sensor processor, wherethe sensor processor is configured to manage the sensors 210 and processsensor data, and where the image processing processor is configured toprocess the image data produced by the cameras 208 as well as manage theremaining functions of the transmitter 200.

It should be appreciated that the wireless power transmission system mayinclude any number of transmitters, such as a first transmitter and asecond transmitter, which may transmit the power waves into one or moretransmission fields of the transmitters. As such, the wireless powertransmission system may include multiple discrete transmission fieldsassociated with the transmitters, where the transmission field may ormay not overlap, but may be managed discretely by the processors of thetransmitters. Additionally or alternatively, the wireless powertransmission system may include transmission fields that may or may notoverlap, but may be managed by the processors of the transmitters as aunitary transmission field.

The antennas 202 may be attached to antenna arrays. In an embodiment,each antenna array may include a set of one or more antennas configuredto transmit one or more types of the power waves. In some embodiments,the antenna array may include antennas 202 (antenna elements), and oneor more integrated circuits controlling the behavior of the antennas,such as generating the power waves having predetermined characteristics(e.g., amplitude, frequency, trajectory, phase). An antenna of theantenna array may transmit the power waves having the predeterminedcharacteristics, such that the power waves arrive at a given locationwithin the transmission field, and exhibit those characteristics. Theantennas of the antenna array may transmit the power waves thatintersect at the given location (generally, where a receiver isrecognized based on the image data obtained from the cameras 208 and/orthe sensor data obtained from the sensors 210), and due to theirrespective characteristics, form a pocket of energy, from which thereceiver may collect energy and generate electricity. It should beappreciated that, although the exemplary wireless power transmissionsystem describes radio-frequency based power waves, additional oralternative transmitter antennas, antenna arrays, and/or wave-basedtechnologies may be used (e.g., ultrasonic, infrared, magneticresonance) to wirelessly transmit the power waves from the transmitter200 to the receiver. In an alternative embodiment using ultrasound fortransmitting power waves, the antennas 202 are configured astransducers, and other components may be modified to accommodate thedifferences between RF and ultrasound transmission and reception.

The transmitter 200 may use the image data and/or the video data todetermine where and how the antennas 202 should transmit the powerwaves. In another embodiment, the transmitter 200 may use the sensordata to determine where and how the antennas 202 should transmit thepower waves. In yet another embodiment, the transmitter 200 may use theimage data, the video data, and the sensor data to determine where andhow the antennas 202 should transmit the power waves. The image data,the video data, and/or the sensor data may indicate for the transmitter200 where the power waves should be transmitted and the pocket of energyshould be formed, and, in some cases, where the power waves should notbe transmitted. In an embodiment, the image data and/or the video datamay be captured by the cameras 208, and interpreted by the processor 206associated with the transmitter 200, from which the transmitter 200 maydetermine how the antennas 202 should form and transmit the power waves.The sensor data may be captured by the sensors 210, and interpreted bythe processor 206 associated with the transmitter 200, from which thetransmitter 200 may determine how the antennas 202 should form andtransmit the power waves. When determining how the power waves should beformed, the transmitter 200 determines the characteristics for each ofthe power waves to be transmitted from each of the respective antennasof the antennas 202. The non-limiting examples of characteristics forthe power waves may include: amplitude, phase, gain, frequency, anddirection, among others. As an example, to generate the pocket of energyat a particular location, the transmitter 200 identifies a subset ofantennas from the antennas 202, transmits the power waves to thepredetermined location, and then the transmitter 200 generates the powerwaves. The power waves transmitted from each antenna of the subset mayhave a comparatively different, e.g., phase and amplitude.

The antennas 202 may include one or more integrated circuits that areassociated with the antennas 202 to generate the power waves. In someembodiments, integrated circuits are found on antennas 202 that house anintegrated circuit and the antennas 202 associated with the integratedcircuit. An integrated circuit may function as a waveform generator foran antenna associated with the integrated circuit, providing theappropriate circuitry and instructions to the associated antenna so thatthe antenna may formulate and transmit the power waves in accordancewith the predetermined characteristics identified for the power wavesbased on the image data or some other data. The integrated circuits mayreceive instructions from the processor 206 (e.g., transmitterprocessor) that determines how the power waves should be emitted intothe transmitter's transmission field. The processor 206, for example,may determine where to form a pocket of energy based on the image dataand then may instruct the integrated circuits of the antennas 202 togenerate the power waves. The integrated circuits may then formulate thepower waves and instruct their respectively associated antennas totransmit the power waves into the transmission field accordingly.

The communication component 204 may effectuate wired and/or wirelesscommunications to and from receivers of the wireless power transmissionsystem. In one embodiment, the communications component 204 may be anembedded component of the transmitter 200; and in another embodiment,the communication component 204 may be attached to the transmitter 200through any wired or wireless communications medium. In someembodiments, the communications component 204 may be shared among aplurality of transmitters, such that each of the transmitters 200coupled to the communication component 204 may use the data receivedwithin a communications signal, by the communication component 204.

In some embodiments, the communication component 204 may includeelectromechanical components (e.g., processor) that allow thecommunication component 204 to communicate various types of data withone or more receivers, other transmitters of the wireless powertransmission system, and/or other components of the transmitter 200. Insome implementations, these communications signals may represent adistinct channel for hosting communications, independent from the powerwaves. The data may be communicated using communications signals, basedon predetermined wired or wireless protocols and associated hardware andsoftware technology. The communication component 204 may operate basedon any number of communication protocols, such as Bluetooth®, WirelessFidelity (Wi-Fi), Near-Field Communications (NFC), ZigBee, and others.However, it should be appreciated that the communication component 204is not limited to radio-frequency based technologies, but may includeradar, infrared waves.

The data contained within the communications signals may be used by thewireless-charging devices to determine how the transmitter 200 maytransmit safe and effective power waves that generate a pocket ofenergy, from which the receiver may capture energy and convert it touseable alternating current or direct current electricity. In oneembodiment, using the communications signal, the transmitter 200 maycommunicate data that may be used, e.g., to identify receivers withinthe transmission field, determine whether electronic devices or usersare authorized to receive wireless charging services from the wirelesspower transmission system, determine safe and effective waveformcharacteristics for the power waves, and hone the placement of pocket ofenergy, among other possible functions.

The cameras 208 may include one or more video cameras. The cameras 208may be configured to capture image data in the transmission field of thetransmitter 200, and then transmit the image data to the processor 206of the transmitter 200. The cameras 208 may further be configured tocapture image data in their field of view that overlapping thetransmission field of the transmitter 200, and then transmit the imagedata to the processor 206 of the transmitter 200. In one exemplaryembodiment, the image data may be raw image data. It is intended thatthe image data is not limited to the raw image data, and the image datacan include data that is processed by a processor associated within thecameras 208 or an external processor such as the processor 206 of thetransmitter 200, or any other suitable processor. The raw image data mayinclude frames derived from the cameras 208, and the processed imagedata may include for example symbolic data based upon the image data (orthe raw image data). In one example, the one or more video cameras mayprovide the raw image data such as image/frame captures of thetransmission field of the transmitter 200 that may include receivers,humans, animals, and furniture present within the transmission field;and the processed image data from the one or more video cameras mayinclude an orientation in X-plane, Y-plane, and Z-plane, and as well asa determination of the location of the receivers or a location of one ormore receiver antennas, which may be based upon any number of features,characteristics, or current states of the receiver, such as dataindicating an orientation of the receiver. In another example, the rawimage data from the video camera of the cameras 208 may provide thermalimaging information, and the processed image data may include anidentification of the person or animal based upon the thermal imaginginformation obtained from the captured temperature data. As used herein,any reference to image data or raw image data can include data processedat the processor 206 or other processing device.

The one or more video cameras may include infrared cameras, thermalcameras, ultrasound cameras, and visible light cameras. The infraredcamera of the one or more video cameras are configured to produce theimage data comprising an infrared image of a scene within thetransmission field using only energy in an infrared portion of anelectromagnetic spectrum. The images obtained using the infrared cameramay assign colors or gray-levels to pixels composing the scene based onthe intensity of an infrared radiation reaching the infrared camera orinfrared camera's sensor elements. The resulting infrared image may bebased on target's temperature; and the colors or levels displayed by theinfrared camera typically correspond to the visible-light colors of thescene, to accurately relate features of interest (e.g. humans, animals,receivers) in the infrared scene with their corresponding locations inthe visible-light scene.

The thermal camera of the one or more video cameras corresponds tothermal imaging cameras. The thermal imaging cameras uses an infraredspectrum to detect radiation coming from a determined area under controlsuch as the transmission field of the transmitter 200 and, based on theintensity of this radiation, there is a forming up of a map oftemperatures in the zones placed under control. The detection activity,using the thermal imaging cameras, may be done continuously ordynamically in such a way that a passage of a flow of the one or moreobjects can be examined in real time. In other words, the one or morethermal imaging cameras control access zones transiting objects have topass through; and these cameras use the infrared spectrum of theradiation received to assess the temperature gradients in thetransmission field of the transmitter 200 under control.

The operation of the thermal imaging camera may be similar to a standardcamera that forms an image using visible light. In comparison with avisible light camera, which forms images with the 400-700 nanometerrange of visible light, the thermal camera operate in wavelengths aslong as 14,000 nm (14 p.m). The thermal camera may include anear-infrared camera that use the near-infrared part of theelectromagnetic spectrum closest to visible light, and a thermalinfrared camera that generally operate in the far infrared region.Thermal imaging, or thermography may rely on the principle that allobjects emit a certain amount of black body radiation as a function oftheir temperatures. The higher an object's temperature, the moreinfrared radiation is emitted as black-body radiation, and the thermalcameras may be configured to detect the radiation in a way similar tothe way an ordinary camera detects visible light. In an embodiment,there is a constant heat exchange between human body and environment dueto differences in their temperatures. The radiation characteristics ofany object can be analyzed using the black-body radiation curve governedby Planck's Law. Essentially all of the radiation of the human body isin the infrared region, with the peak radiation occurring at 9.55 p.m.These parameters are well suited to detection by the thermal cameras.

In one embodiment, the transmitter 200 may include a single video camera208. In another embodiment, the transmitter 200 may include an array ofvideo cameras 208. The video cameras may include infrared cameras,thermal cameras, ultrasound cameras, and visible light cameras. Thearray of video cameras may be positioned for viewing a region of thetransmission field of the transmitter 200. The region of interest maycorrespond to camera field view in the transmission field of thetransmitter 200. The array of video cameras may be arranged in a lineararray in the transmitter 200. In an alternate embodiment, the variousother spatial arrangements including two-dimensional arrays of videocameras may be used.

When multiple cameras are used, each camera may be placed offset fromthe other cameras such that each camera has a different, possiblypartially overlapping, viewpoints. Having cameras placed with offsetspacing between them allows for computer vision algorithms to performcalculations and infer relative distances of objects in the twodimensional images captured by each camera.

The transmitter 200 may have a trigger unit that may include atriggering mechanism to initiate capture of a set of frames by the oneor more video cameras of the cameras 208. In one embodiment, thetriggering mechanism may include a central clock signal and an optionalsignal delivery unit. The central clock signal is delivered via thesignal delivery unit to the one or more video cameras of the cameras208. In another embodiment, it is also possible to deliver the centralclock signal directly to the one or more video cameras of the cameras208 either by a physical connection or by a wireless connection. Inother embodiments, the one or more video cameras of the cameras 208 mayhave their own internal synchronized clocks. A person of skill in theart will recognize that there are many ways to provide clock signal forthe one or more video cameras of the cameras 208 of the transmitter 200and will appreciate how to adjust the configuration of the transmitter200 depending on the actual way in which clock signal is generated anddistributed to the one or more video cameras of the cameras 208.

In some embodiments, the processor 206 may be configured to combine andprocess data captured by the one or more cameras to generate an outputof symbolic data. For examples, symbols may be a numerical value such asX, Y, Z coordinates of objects captured in the data, or temperaturevalue that may be represented in numbers. The symbolic data may beobtained by processing the data (image data and/or video data). Theprocessed image data will produce symbolic data that may include numberof one or more objects captured in the image data, two-dimensionalcoordinates of the one or more objects captured in the image data,three-dimensional (XYZ) coordinates of the one or more objects (such asreceivers and humans) captured in the image data, motion status of theone or more objects, and size of the one or more objects. The one ormore objects may include receivers and humans. In another embodiment,the symbolic data may include three-dimensional (XYZ) coordinates ofonly one or more receivers, size of the one or more receivers, andangular orientation of the one or more receivers with respect to thetransmitter captured in the image data.

In some embodiments, the image data obtained by the thermal imagingcamera may include a map of temperatures (temperature data) of thetransmission field of the transmitter 200. During the step ofidentifying subjects from the image data, the processor 206 analyzes themap of temperatures to identify a zone of interest that includestemperature values that correspond to body temperature values of thesubjects being identified. For example, if the subject being identifiedis a human, then the processor 206 may look for the zone of interest inthe map that includes the temperature centered in the range of thetemperature of the human body, i.e., between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius,36-37 degrees Celsius being the nominal temperature, but the range canbe expanded to include other living beings. After identifying thesubjects, the processor 206 then generates the symbolic data that mayinclude the number of the identified subjects, three-dimensional (XYZ)coordinates of the identified subjects (such as receivers and humans),motion status of the identified subjects, size of the identifiedsubjects, and shape of the identified subjects. In other words, the bodytemperature of a humans is measured by the thermal imaging camera. Theanalysis of thermal images captured by the thermal imaging camera by theprocessor 206 can then distinguish human beings or other living beingsfrom other parts of the thermal images based on detection ofpredetermined ranges of typical body temperatures. When viewed throughthe thermal imaging camera, warm objects stand out well against coolerbackgrounds; humans and other warm-blooded animals become easily visibleagainst the environment, during day or night.

The processor 206 analyzes the map of temperatures to identify a zone ofinterest that includes temperature values that correspond to the bodytemperature values of the subjects (human body) being identified. Theidentification of the zone of interest by the processor 206 may alsodepend upon the place in the body at which the measurement is made, thetime of day, as well as the activity level of the person. For example,the typical cited values mentioned of temperatures of a human are: oral(under the tongue): 36.8±0.4° C. (98.2±0.72° F.); internal (rectal,vaginal): 37.0° C. (98.6° F.). The body temperature of a healthy personmay vary during the day by about 0.5° C. (0.9° F.) with lowertemperatures in the morning and higher temperatures in the lateafternoon and evening; and body temperature also changes when a personis hungry, sleepy, sick, or cold. Other warm blooded animals may havedifferent body temperatures than human body temperatures. For example,typical cited values of body temperatures include: dogs: 37.9-39.9° C.(100.2-103.8° F.); cats: 38.1-39.2° C. (100.5-102.5° F.); dairy cows:38.0-39.3° C. (100.4-102.8° F.).

The sensors 210 may include sensors that may be physically associatedwith the transmitter 200 (i.e., connected to, or a component of), ordevices may be configured to detect and identify various conditions ofthe wireless power transmission system and/or transmission field, andthe sensor data may then be generated for the transmitter 200, which maycontribute to the generation and transmission of power waves by thetransmitter 200. The sensor data may help the transmitter 200 determinevarious modes of operation and/or how to appropriately generate andtransmit the power waves, so that the transmitter 200 may provide safe,reliable, and efficient wireless power to receivers. As detailed herein,the sensors 210 may transmit sensor data collected during sensoroperations for subsequent processing by the processor 206 of thetransmitter 200. Additionally or alternatively, one or more sensorprocessors may be connected to or housed within the sensors 210. Thesensor processors may include a microprocessor that executes variousprimary data processing routines, whereby the sensor data received atthe transmitter processor has been partially or completely pre-processedas useable mapping data for generating power waves.

The sensors 210 may transmit sensor data to the transmitter 200.Although described in the exemplary embodiment as raw sensor data, it isintended that the sensor data is not limited to raw sensor data and caninclude data that is processed by a processor associated with thesensor, processed by the receiver, processed by the transmitter, or anyother processor. The sensor data can include information derived fromthe sensor, and processed sensor data can include determinations basedupon the sensor data. The processor 206 can process sensor data receivedfrom a sensor of the transmitter or a sensor of a receiver (e.g., agyroscope, accelerometer). For example, a gyroscope of a receiver mayprovide raw data such as an orientation in X-plane, Y-plane, and Zplanes. In this example, the processor 206 may generate processed sensordata from the gyroscope, which the processor 206 may use to determine alocation of a receiver antenna based upon the orientation of thereceiver. In another example, raw sensor data from an infrared sensor ofa receiver, and processed sensor data may determine presence of a personbased upon the thermal sensor data. As used herein, any reference tosensor data or raw sensor data can include data processed at the sensoror other device. In some implementations, a gyroscope and/or anaccelerometer of the receiver or electronic device associated with thereceiver may provide sensor data indicating the orientation of thereceiver or electronic device, which the transmitter 200 may use todetermine whether to transmit power waves to the receiver. The receivermay then transmit this sensor data to the transmitter 200, viacommunications waves. In such implementations, the transmitter 200 maytransmit the power waves to the location of the receiver until thetransmitter 200 receives, via communications waves, the sensor dataproduced by the gyroscope and/or accelerometer, indicating that thereceiver or electronic device is in motion or has an orientationsuggesting that the electronic device is in use or nearby a person.

In some embodiments, the sensors 210 may be devices configured to emit,receive, or both emit and receive sensor waves, which may be any type ofwave that may be used to identify sensitive objects in a transmissionfield (e.g., a person, a piece of furniture). Non-limiting examples ofsensor technologies for the sensors may include: infrared/pyro-electric,ultrasound, ultrasonic, laser, optical, Doppler, accelerometer,microwave, millimeter, and RF standing-wave sensors. Other sensortechnologies that may be well-suited to secondary and/orproximity-detection sensors may include resonant LC sensors, capacitivesensors, and inductive sensors. Based upon the particular type of sensorwaves used and the particular protocols associated with the sensorwaves, the sensor may generate sensor data. In some cases, the sensormay comprise a sensor processor that may receive, interpret, and processsensor data, which the sensor may then provide to a transmitterprocessor.

In some embodiments, the sensors may be passive sensors, active sensors,and/or smart sensors. The passive sensors, such as tuned LC sensors(resonant, capacitive, or inductive) are a simple type of sensor and mayprovide minimal but efficient object discrimination. Such passivesensors may be used as secondary (remote) sensors that may be dispersedinto the transmission field and may be part of the receiver or otherwiseindependently capture raw sensor data that may be wirelesslycommunicated a sensor processor. The active sensors, such as infrared(IR) or pyro-electric sensors, may provide efficient and effectivetarget discrimination and may have minimal processing associated withthe sensor data produced by such active sensors. Smart sensors may bethe sensors having on-board digital signal processing (DSP) for primarysensor data (i.e., prior to processing by the transmitter processor).Such processors are capable of fine, granular object discrimination andprovide transmitter processors with pre-processed sensor data that ismore efficiently handled by the transmitter processor when determininghow to generate and transmit the power waves.

In some implementations, the sensors may be configured for humanrecognition, and thus may discriminate a person from other objects, suchas furniture. Non-limiting examples of the sensor data processed byhuman recognition-enabled sensors may include: body temperature data,infrared range-finder data, motion data, activity recognition data,silhouette detection and recognition data, gesture data, heart ratedata, portable devices data, and wearable device data (e.g., biometricreadings and output, accelerometer data).

The memory 212 is a non-volatile storage device for storing data andinstructions, to be used by the processor 206. The memory 212 isimplemented with a magnetic disk drive, an optical disk drive, a solidstate device, or an attachment to a network storage. The memory 212 maycomprise one or more memory devices to facilitate storage andmanipulation of program code, set of instructions, tasks, pre-storeddata including configuration files of receivers and electronic devices,and the like. Non-limiting examples of the memory 212 implementationsmay include, but are not limited to, a random access memory (RAM), aread only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a secure digital (SD)card, a magneto-resistive read/write memory, an optical read/writememory, a cache memory, or a magnetic read/write memory. Further, thememory 212 includes one or more instructions that are executable by theprocessor of the processor 206 to perform specific operations. Thesupport circuits for the processor include conventional cache, powersupplies, clock circuits, data registers, I/O interfaces, and the like.The I/O interface may be directly coupled to the memory unit 212 orcoupled through the processor of the processor 206.

In some embodiments, the transmitter 200 may be associated with thememory 212 that may further include one or more mapping-memories, whichmay be non-transitory machine-readable storage media configured to storethe image data which may be data describing aspects of position of thereceivers and the one or more objects within the transmission fieldassociated with the transmitter 200. The memory 212 may also storemapping data that may comprise heat-map data and sensor data. Theheat-map data may be generated by transmitter 200 processors configuredto identify receivers located in the transmission field; and the sensordata may be generated by transmitter 200 processors and/or sensorprocessors to identify sensitive objects such as human beings andanimals located in the transmission field. Thus, the image data and themapping data stored in the memory unit 212 of the wireless powertransmission system may include information indicating the location ofthe receivers, the location of sensitive objects such as humans andanimals, and other types of data, which may be used by the transmitter200 to generate and transmit safe and effective power waves. Thetransmitter 200 may query the image data with the pre-stored data storedin the records of the memory unit 212, so that the transmitter 200 mayuse the image data as input parameters for determining thecharacteristics for transmitting the power waves and where to generatepocket of energy within the transmission field.

In some embodiments, the wireless power transmission system may includean external memory, which may be a database or a collection ofmachine-readable computer files, hosted by non-transitorymachine-readable storage media of the admin computer 214. In suchembodiments, the external memory may be communicatively coupled to thetransmitter 200 by any wired or wireless communications protocols andhardware. The external memory may contain the pre-stored data comprisingsample images and configuration files of the receivers and the one ormore objects such as the humans and animals. The records of the externalmemory may be accessed by the transmitter 200, which may update thepre-stored data when scanning the transmission field for the receiversor sensitive objects when determining safe and effective characteristicsfor the power waves that the transmitter 200 is going to generate.

In some embodiments, the transmitter 200 may comprise non-transitorymachine-readable storage media configured to host an internal memoryalong with the memory unit 212, which may store the mapping data withinthe transmitter 200. The processor 206 of the transmitter 200, such as atransmitter processor, may update the records of the internal memory asnew mapping data is identified and stored. In some embodiments, themapping data stored in the internal memory may be transmitted toadditional transmitters of the wireless power transmission system,and/or the mapping data in the internal memory may be transmitted andstored into an external memory at a regular interval or in real-time.

The administrative computer 214 of the wireless power transmissionsystem may be any computing device, which may comprise or may otherwisebe coupled to a user interface allowing a user to control operations ofthe administrative computer 214. The computing device refers to acomputer with a processor/microcontroller and/or any other electroniccomponent that performs one or more operations according to one or moreprogramming instructions. The examples of the computing device include,but are not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a tablet computer, or the like. The computing device iscapable of communicating with the transmitter 200 and an external serverthrough a network using wired or wireless communication capabilities.The network refers to a medium that also connects various computingdevices and database of the wireless power transmission system. Theexamples of the network include, but are not limited to, LAN, WLAN, MAN,WAN, and the Internet. The network itself may include wired as well aswireless connections. The communication over the network may beperformed in accordance with various communication protocols such asTransmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), UserDatagram Protocol (UDP), and IEEE communication protocols.

An input device may be a keyboard, mouse, pointer, touchscreen, or otherinput generating device to facilitate input of control instructions by auser to the processor 206 and/or administrative computer 214. In oneembodiment, the input unit provides a portion of the user interface forthe wireless power transmission system, and may include an alphanumerickeypad for inputting alphanumeric and other key information along with acursor control device such as a mouse, a trackpad or stylus. A displayunit of the wireless power transmission system may include a cathode raytube (CRT) display, liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, or lightemitting diode (LED) display. A graphics subsystem may receive textualand graphical information, and processes the information for output tothe display unit.

In an embodiment, the systems of the wireless power transmission systemadhere to electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure protection standards forhuman subjects. Maximum exposure limits are defined by US and Europeanstandards in terms of power density limits and electric field limits (aswell as magnetic field limits). These include, for example, limitsestablished by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for MPE, andlimits established by European regulators for radiation exposure. Limitsestablished by the FCC for MPE are codified at 47 CFR § 1.1310. Forelectromagnetic field (EMF) frequencies in the microwave range, powerdensity can be used to express an intensity of exposure. Power densityis defined as power per unit area. For example, power density can becommonly expressed in terms of watts per square meter (W/m²), milliwattsper square centimeter (mW/cm²), or microwatts per square centimeter(μW/cm²).

The present methods for the wireless power transmission incorporatevarious safety techniques to ensure that human occupants in or near atransmission field are not exposed to EMF energy near or aboveregulatory limits or other nominal limits. One safety method is toinclude a margin of error (e.g., about 10% to 20%) beyond the nominallimits, so that human subjects are not exposed to power levels at ornear the EMF exposure limits. A second safety method can provide stagedprotection measures, such as reduction or termination of wireless powertransmission if humans (and in some embodiments, other living beings orsensitive objects) move toward a pocket of energy with power densitylevels exceeding EMF exposure limits. A further safety method isredundant safety systems, such as use of power reduction methodstogether with alarms. Such safety methods employ the image processor 208including the one or more video cameras to capture images of objectswithin the transmission field and the sensors 210, and subsequentlyprocessing the captured images and/or the senor data to identify theposition of the humans and the receivers. Based on the determinedpositions of the humans and the receivers, the transmitter 200 thentransmit the power waves to the receivers and generate a null space inthe positions of the humans.

Sensors Operation

The sensor 210 may detect whether objects, such as person or furniture,enter a predetermined proximity of the transmitter 200, power waves,and/or a pocket of energy. The sensor 210 may detect whether objects,such as person or furniture, enter a transmission field of thetransmitter 200. In one configuration, the sensor 210 may then instructthe transmitter 200 or other components of the wireless powertransmission system to execute various actions based upon the detectedobjects. In another configuration, the sensor 210 may transmit sensordata generated upon detection of the objects to the processor 206 of thetransmitter 200, and the processor 206 of the transmitter 200 maydetermine which actions to execute (e.g., adjust a pocket of energy,cease power wave transmission, reduce power wave transmission). Forexample, after one sensor identifies that a person has entered thetransmission field, and then determines that the person is within thepredetermined proximity of the transmitter 200, the sensor 210 couldprovide the relevant sensor data to the processor 206 of the transmitter200, causing the transmitter 200 to reduce or terminate transmission ofthe power waves. As another example, after identifying the personentering the transmission field and then determining that the person hascome within the predetermined proximity of a pocket of energy, thesensor 210 may provide sensor data to the processor 206 of thetransmitter 200 that causes the transmitter 200 to adjust thecharacteristics of the power waves, to diminish the amount of energyconcentrated at the pocket of energy, generate a null, and/or repositionthe location of the pocket of energy. In another example, the wirelesspower transmission system may comprise an alarm device, which mayproduce a warning, and/or may generate and transmit a digital message toa system log or administrative computing device configured to administerthe system. In this example, after the sensor 210 detects the personentering the predetermined proximity of the transmitter, power wave,and/or pocket of energy, or otherwise detects other unsafe or prohibitedconditions of system, the sensor data may be generated and transmittedto the alarm device, which may activate the warning, and/or generate andtransmit a notification to the administrator device. A warning producedby the alarm may comprise any type of sensory feedback, such as audiofeedback, visual feedback, haptic feedback, or some combination.

The wireless power transmission system may include multiple transmitters200. For example, a first transmitter may include a first sensor thatemits and/or receives sensor waves and generates sensor data, which maybe stored on the first transmitter and/or a mapping memory; the wirelesspower transmission system may also have a second transmitter comprisinga second sensor that emits and/or receives sensor waves and generatessensor data, which may be stored on the second transmitter and/or themapping memory. In this example, both of the first and secondtransmitters may comprise processors that may receive sensor data fromthe first and second sensors, and/or fetch stored sensor data from theparticular storage locations; thus, the sensor data produced by therespective first and second sensors may be shared among the respectivefirst and second transmitters. The processors of each of the first andsecond transmitters may then use the shared sensor data, to thendetermine the characteristics for generating and transmitting the powerwaves, which may include determining whether to transmit the power waveswhen a sensitive object is detected. Multiple transmitters may interfacewith and may be controlled by the same processor.

As mentioned, the transmitter 200 may comprise, or otherwise beassociated with, multiple sensors or sensors from which the transmitter200 receives the sensor data. As an example, a single transmitter maycomprise a first sensor located at a first position of the transmitterand a second sensor located at a second position on the transmitter. Inthis example, the sensors may be binary sensors that may acquirestereoscopic sensor data, such as the location of a sensitive object tothe sensors. In some embodiments, such binary or stereoscopic sensorsmay be configured to provide three-dimensional imaging capabilities,which may be transmitted to an administrator's workstation and/or othercomputing device. In addition, binary and stereoscopic sensors mayimprove the accuracy of the receiver or the object location detectionand displacement, which is useful, for example, in motion recognitionand tracking.

In some implementations, the user may communicate to the transmitter 200tagging information that enables the transmitter 200 to detect andconfirm certain objects that the user wishes to exclude from receipt ofwireless energy (i.e., power waves, pocket of energy). For example, theuser may provide tagging information via a user device in communicationwith the controller of the transmitter 200 via a graphical userinterface (GUI) of the user device. Exemplary tagging informationincludes location data for an electrical device, which may includeone-dimensional coordinates of a region in space containing the object,two-dimensional (2D) coordinates of a region in space containing theobject, or three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of a region in spacecontaining the object. One way to perform tagging may be to place theuser device in close proximity to the object or location being taggedand use the location of the user device as a proxy for the location ofthe tagged object when recording the location to be tagged with thetransmitter.

Additional details, discussion, and examples of the sensor operations ina wireless charging system may be found in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/861,285, entitled “Systems and Methods of Identifying SensitiveObjects in a Wireless Power Transmission Field,” filed Sep. 22, 2015.

Cameras and Computer Vision Operation

The transmitter 200 may include the cameras 208. The cameras 208 willcapture the images of the objects within the transmission field of thetransmitter 200 and the images will be transmitted to the processor 206.The processor 206 may execute a computer vision software or any suitablesoftware that is programmed to process the image data captured by thecameras 208 to locate and recognize the receiver, living beings, and/orother sensitive objects from the captured images. In one example, thereceiver, living being, and/or other sensitive object physical shape maybe recognized first, and once the physical shape is recognized, it ismatched with the pre-stored data. Once the matching is confirmed, thenX, Y, Z coordinate of the receiver, living being, and/or other sensitiveobject will be determined.

In one embodiment, the transmitter 200 uses two video cameras in stereoconfiguration that operate as stereoscopic vision, in side by sideconfiguration. The images in the data captured by the two video camerasis processed in the computer vision software executed by the processor206 to search for visual patterns that it can recognize. The visualpatterns are pre-programmed or preconfigured and saved in the pre-storeddata in the memory 212. In case of detecting presence of humans usingvisual light cameras, the pre-stored data may include all possible skintones, hair color, and facial features, for instance, for purposes ofmatching. The computer vision software may also be trained to recognizedifferent shapes of the receivers. There are several methods to trainthe computer vision software. One method to train the computer visionsoftware is to hold up an object, for example, a cellphone, to thevisual cameras and take snapshots of the object at differentorientations and distances. The snapshots are saved in the memory 212and the computer vision software fills a configuration file foridentifying the object by comparing the image data with the snapshotsstored in the memory 212. When the wireless power transmission system isrunning, and the computer vision software is receiving the image datafrom the cameras 208, the computer vision software is executed by theprocessor 206 to search for any portion within the image data thatmatches the pattern that was preprogrammed in a plurality ofconfiguration files stored in the memory 212.

In some implementations, the computer vision software may executevarious algorithms enabling the software to intelligently learn theidentity of various physical objects, based on certain characteristicsof those objects, such as shape, orientation, movement, dimensions,emissions of RF radiation, emissions of light, heat, and the like. Inoperation, the computer vision software may identify an object when thecharacteristics of that object are within a threshold variance of thecorresponding characteristics for baseline objects in the memory 212.Allowing for some threshold variance when comparing characteristics mayaccount for subtle changes in objects “seen” routinely by the cameras208, such as aging, erosion, or some forms of wear-and-tear on anobject. Accordingly, when the computer vision software identifies, or“sees,” an object in a still image or video, the computer vision mayalso update the parameters or characteristics of the correspondingbaseline object in the memory 212.

When the computer vision software recognizes an object in the image datafrom the configuration file stored in the memory 212, then the computervision software uses the image data to determine the X, Y, Z location ofthe object. Each video camera transmits X, Y coordinates of the object(which are called as pixels) to the processor 206. The computer visionsoftware after receiving the X, Y coordinates of the object from the twovideo cameras, compares the two copies of the X, Y coordinates of theobject, and creates another dimension of the object which indicates thedistance of each pixel of the object image from the two video cameras.In other words, the computer vision software compares the image datarelated to the object from each of the cameras 208, to determine thecomparable distance of each picture element (or pixel), and therebydetermines an X, Y, Z coordinate of each picture element of the object.Determining the distance to such objects may include use of the sensordata in addition to the video data for triangularization purposes.

In an embodiment, the recognized object may be composed of manydifferent pixels that may, in some cases, containing visual and/orthermal patterns, sometimes referred to as a “Binary Large Object”(BLOB) of visual data. A BLOB may be a region of an image where one ormore characteristics of the image are substantially similar orsubstantially constant. The data underlying the pixels at these regionsare therefore recognizable and understood to be one or more objects bythe processor 206, based on the underlying binary data generated for thepixels of that particular region of the image. It should be appreciatedthat this is merely a term of art referring to a contiguous set of imagepixels, and should be not be considered limiting upon the operation ofthe transmitter 200 or the nature of the items that can be identified orotherwise detected by the transmitter 200. The computer vision softwareof the processor 206 then determines a center coordinate of the BLOB ofvisual data, sometimes called a “centroid,” and then the computer visionsoftware executed by the processor 206 determines the centroid X, Y, Zcoordinate and uses the centroid X, Y, Z coordinate to activate theantennas 202 for an optimal configuration or phase that will create thepocket of energy as close as possible to the identified object which isa receiver unit. Similarly, if a BLOB is determined to be a human, forinstance, this information is used to control the phase and amplitude ofpower waves so as to avoid creating a pocket of energy in closeproximity.

In an embodiment, the X, Y, Z coordinates determined may be relative toa frame of reference of the transmitter 200. For example, if thetransmitter 200 has an X, Y, Z coordinate, then the receiver coordinateis relative to the transmitter 200 with the frame of reference being theX, Y, Z coordinate. The computer vision software in conjunction with thecameras 208 is continuously and/or periodically tracking the receiversand continuously and/or periodically determine the X, Y, Z coordinatesfor objects “seen” by the cameras 208. The X, Y, Z coordinate data isimmediately used by the transmitter 200 to update the wireless powertransmission antennas of the antennas 202. For example, the phases ofthe wireless power transmission antennas may be a function of the X, Y,Z coordinates of the receiver, as detected by the computer visionsoftware, and as determined and continuously updated by the processor206, based on the data received from the cameras 208.

One having skill in the art would recognize that there are number oftechniques for implementing the computer vision, and that there may beany number of software products that may be executed by the processor206 of the transmitter 200 to configure the components of thetransmitter 200 to perform the various tasks associated with computervision, as described herein. Non-limiting examples of such software thatmay be employed to instruct the processor 206 and other components toexecute processes associated with computer vision may include OpenCV,Fiji, Pfinder, Trax Image Recognition, Robot Operating System (ROS), andthe like. It would also be appreciated that such underlying softwaremodules may be configured or otherwise re-configured using librariesdeveloped using C++, Python, MATLAB, LISP, and any other programminglanguage capable of manipulating the behaviors of cameras, imageprocessor, and/or processor 206 when executing digital image processingand automated computer vision routines.

In operation, the cameras 208 may be configured to report the X, Y, Zcoordinate of every pixel of the image data sent from the cameras (e.g.,visual video cameras, thermal cameras) transmitting images (e.g.,continuous video, successive still frame images) to the cameras 208. Theprogrammatic modules may also have functions that can search for anddetect visual BLOBs of pixels where a visual BLOB in the image data maybe an object of interest. Thus, when the cameras 208 see objects, forexample, a human, a cell phone, a book, or a chair, such objects appearto the computer vision software executed by the processor 206 ascontiguous collections of pixels, usually of kind of a uniform colorcompared to the background, and the computer vision software can thendetermine the X, Y, Z coordinate of the centroid of these objectsrelative to the transmitter 200. The computer vision software is furtherconfigured to operate for a stationary object or an object that'smoving. The computer vision software is able to determine that an objectis moving because the moving object may correspond to the contiguouspixels that are moving relative to a complete field of vision, whereasall the other pixels that are stationary are part of the background.Thus, the pixels that are in motion are easier to differentiate from thebackground pixels as the pixels that are in motion are the only pixelsthat are all moving in the same direction.

The computer vision software may use an open source software todetermine the X, Y, Z coordinates of the object that's recognized as thereceiver, for example the mobile device. The computer vision software ofthe transmitter 200 may be trained by one or more techniques to identifythe receivers. For example, the receivers for mobile devices where thereceiver is embedded within the mobile devices such as a cell phone, theconfiguration files corresponding to shape, dimensions, andconfiguration of the mobile and/or the receiver may be stored in thememory 212 of the transmitter 200. The configuration files are stored sothat when the transmitter 200 is in operation, the configuration filesare available for the computer vision software of to use, and thenfacilitate the communication between the computer vision software andmay be an antenna management software of the antennas 202. Thecommunication by the computer vision software may include the X, Y, Zcoordinates of the receivers over to the antenna management software ofthe antennas 202. In another embodiment, when the antenna managementsoftware of the antennas 202 is in direct communication with thereceiver, and the transmitter 200 is powering the receiver, then theantenna management software of the antennas 202 will be able todetermine the X, Y, Z coordinates of the receiver based on the settingsof the phases of the antennas in 202. In addition, the processor 206 mayuse the determined location of the receivers based on the directcommunication between the antenna management software of the antennas202 with the receiver, and compare the determined location with thelocation reported of the receiver by the computer vision software toverify that the computer vision software is recognizing the correctobject as being the receiver.

In another example, if the antenna management software of the antennas202 detects an electronic device comprising a receiver where thecomputer vision software has not been programmed to recognize theelectronic device. The computer vision software, or some other hardwareand/or software component of the transmitter 200, may determine theinitial X, Y, X coordinates of the mobile device using sensor datareceived from sensors coupled to the transmitter 200, or using a set ofcoordinates expressly inputted by a user through a user interface,enabling the computer vision software of the transmitter 200 tocontinuously or periodically track the relative location of the mobiledevice, even though the computer vision software cannot initiallyrecognize the electronic device using the pre-programmed database ofobjects. Where the computer vision software of the processor 206 has notbeen programmed to recognize the pattern of the electronic device or astand alone receiver, the computer vision software executed by theprocessor 206 of the transmitter 200 will be unable initially todetermine and report the X, Y, Z coordinates of the receiver coupled tothe electronic device. In some cases, the unrecognized receiver maycommunicate various types of location data with the transmitter 200 viaa communications signal (e.g., Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, Wi-Fi, NFC),allowing the transmitter 200 to detect the presence of the unrecognizedreceiver and determine the location of the receiver in the transmissionfield of the transmitter 200. The processor 206 of the transmitter 200may subsequently initiate antenna management software of the antennas202 to configure the power transmission antennas to transmit power wavesto or proximate to the location of the receiver. Based on data receivedback from the receiver via the communications signal, the antennamanagement software of the transmitter 200 may determine more specificX, Y, Z coordinates of the receiver being powered. The X, Y, Zcoordinates of the receiver are then stored into non-transitorymachine-readable storage of a memory unit 212. The computer visionsoftware, and the processor 206 of the transmitter 200 more generally,may then begin monitoring the location and movements (e.g., updatedcoordinates, updated location data) of the receiver and electronicdevice, using the coordinates stored in the memory unit 212. Althoughthe computer vision software of the processor 206 may not initiallyrecognize the pattern of an electronic device or a standalone receiverdevice, the electronic device or standalone receiver device may berecognized and serviced by the processor 206 of the transmitter 200using location data received via a communications signal, location datareceived in user inputs from a user interface, and/or sensor datagenerated and received from sensors coupled to the transmitter 200.After determining the initial location of the receiver, the transmitter200 may begin transmitting the power waves, provided no sensitiveobjects are detected in the path of the power waves to provide power tothe electronic device comprising the receiver. The transmitter 200 maythen adjust the antenna configuration of the antennas 202 to update thepower waves based on receiver movement. Under these circumstances, theprocessor 206 can determine the X, Y, Z coordinates of the receiverbased on the antenna phases used to transmit power waves. The processor206 then uses the X, Y, Z coordinates of the receiver from the antennamanagement software of the antennas 202 to calibrate the computer visionsoftware to look for the receiver at that location of the X, Y, Zcoordinates. If the receiver is subsequently moved, the computer visionsoftware may then track the image of the receiver and report the imagedata to the processor 206. The image will be depicted as a BLOB ofpixels, and when the BLOB of pixels begins to move, the computer visionsoftware in real time determines the X, Y, Z coordinates of the movingreceiver, and continuously and/or periodically uses the determined X, Y,Z coordinates to update the phases of the antennas of the antennas 202to maintain the pocket of energy at the receiver.

The training functions of the computer vision software may have one ormore parameters. The one or more parameters may be adjusted to optimizefor the category of objects being recognized by the computer visionsoftware. For example, different kinds of cell phones in general have amore unique kind of shape than an animal such as a dog or a cat. Thecell phone may have more angular features and usually rectangular andflat shape. The computer vision software of may be trained to morereadily, efficiently, and in a faster way recognize the objects such ascell phones due to the unique shape patterns of the cell phones. In oneexample, the objects may be recognized by the computer vision softwareby identifying visual patterns such as points, colors, and letters onthe objects. In another example, the objects may be recognize by thecomputer vision software by identifying any kind of specific labeling onthe body of the object. In yet another example, the objects may berecognized by the computer vision software by identifying configurationof distinctive visual patterns of the object, for example, location of akeyboard may be detected by locating keys on it. In another example, aTV remote control may be located by identifying the colors of thedifferent buttons on the TV remote control, or a cell phone may belocated by identifying the location of the camera which is usuallypresent as a small round object on the backside of the phone. In theexample of recognizing the cell phone by the computer vision software,the computer vision software may initially process an overallthree-dimensional rectangular shape of the cell phone, and thenrecognize the smaller hole which will be the lens of the camera in thecell phone. In other words, the computer vision software may be trainedto determine the relationship between the rectangular box that forms thecell phone itself and for all the features that are on the cell phonelike the buttons to correctly identity or recognize the cell phone as anobject of interest.

In an embodiment, the computer vision software is also trained torecognize the receiver when the receiver is placed external to theelectronic device such as the cell phone in the image data captured bythe cameras 208. In such a case, the computer vision software of theprocessor 206 is trained to recognize the lines that form the basicshape of the receiver. For example, if the receiver is in rectangular inshape, the computer vision software may be trained to identify theoverall three-dimensional rectangular shape. In another example, thecomputer vision software may be trained to recognize the color of thereceiver or any patterns, sub-color patterns if the receiver hasmultiple colors or lettering. The color is unique way to recognize thereceiver by the computer vision software as the receiver may be markedwith a trademark having colors, and the computer vision software may bepre-programmed to identify the trademark to the RGB color.

Using Multiple Transmitters to Model Objects in a Shared TransmissionField

In an embodiment, the wireless power transmission system may includemultiple transmitters where each transmitter 200 may include the cameras208. Each of the multiple transmitters may have their own transmissionfield or the energy zone, where the antennas of each transmitter 200 maytransmit power waves to charge the electronic devices. In anotherexample, each of the multiple transmitters 200 may have a sametransmission field or the energy zone, where the antennas of each of thetransmitter 200 may transmit power waves to charge the electronicdevices. In such a case, the video cameras of the multiple transmittersmonitor and capture the image data of the same transmission field(transmission area). The multiple transmitters may be configured tocommunicate with each other directly through a wired means, orcommunicate to each other through a backend wireless server, to sharethe image data captured by each of the transmitters. The backendwireless server may by a server computer comprising a processor capableof performing communication between the multiple transmitters. Each ofthe transmitters may transmit the image data captured by their camerasto their own processors or a central processor. The processors of thetransmitters may generate symbolic data from the image data captured bythe video cameras of each of the multiple transmitters. The symbolicdata obtained from the multiple different perspectives at eachtransmitter may then be combined to generate a visual model of all theobjects and the receivers within the transmission field.

The multiple transmitters may be used in order to improve the accuracyof monitoring and detecting the receivers and the sensitive objects,such as humans. In a room having multiple transmitters where each of themultiple transmitters has video cameras, the multiple transmitters maybe located in the room such that the images captured by the videocameras of each of the multiple transmitters is captured from differentangles and perspectives. For example, in a room having a child that ishidden behind a chair, the video camera of a given transmitter may notbe able to see the child because of the chair in the way, but the videocamera of the transmitter located over in another part of the room maybe able to recognize the child, and then all the image data capturedfrom all the video cameras of all the transmitters may be analyzed toobtain the X, Y, Z coordinates of the child even though the videocameras of the given transmitter wasn't able to capture the image of thechild.

In the above discussed example, the X, Y, Z coordinates of the child maybe communicated between the wireless power transmitters, such that eventhe transmitters with video cameras that cannot view the child receivethe X, Y, Z coordinates of the child from other transmitters, and thenthe transmitters with video cameras that cannot view the child can usethe child's X, Y, Z coordinates to compare with the X, Y, Z coordinatesof the receivers they are powering so that if the receiver being poweredgets too close to the child, the transmission of power waves to thereceiver may be reduced or ceased. Thus, in this case, the giventransmitter may be receiving in real time the X, Y, Z coordinates of thegiven human or sensitive object and the given transmitter may adjust itsantenna configuration phases to continuously and/or periodically keepthe energy pocket away from the given human or sensitive object based onthe X, Y, Z coordinates of the given human or sensitive object beingreceived in real time from other transmitters. In some implemenations,the transmitter may also adjust antenna configuration phases to transmitpower waves that converge to from destructive interference patterns,resulting in nulls at or proximate to the location proximate of thehuman or other sensitive object.

In an embodiment, each video camera of the multiple transmitters may beproducing the image data. The image data produced by video cameras ofeach transmitter is shared with the other transmitters operating in thesame transmission field. The image data may be processed by the computervision software executed by the processor of each transmitter such thatthe computer vision software compares all the image data produced byeach camera of each transmitter to create a three dimensional cloudmodel of the transmission field area where all the transmitters areoperating.

In another embodiment, in order to build the three dimensional cloudmodel, all the video cameras may send the image data to a centralprocessor of the wireless power transmission system that is configuredto create the three dimensional cloud model by using the X, Y, Zcoordinates of each pixel in the image data captured by each videocamera. In this case, each individual transmitter would be a client tothe central processor that is generating the three dimensional cloudmodel. Each of the client transmitters will receive updated copies inreal time of the three dimensional cloud model from the centralprocessor, and at the same time continuously and/or periodically sendingthe image data from its own video cameras back to the central processorfor updating the three dimensional cloud model. In other words, eachtransmitter is continuously and/or periodically transmitting its raw orprocessed image data to the central processor that is configured togenerate the three-dimensional cloud model, and at the same time eachindividual transmitter is continuously and/or periodically downloadingupdates to the three-dimensional cloud model so that each individualtransmitter can continuously and/or periodically have an accuratethree-dimensional cloud model of the transmission field area to controlthe antenna configuration phases to maintain energy pocket at thereceivers within the same transmission field area.

In yet another embodiment, the individual transmitters of the wirelesspower transmission system may be configured to use the antennamanagement software of their own antennas to communicate with thereceivers to form an energy pocket for the receivers. The individualtransmitters then subsequently determine the X, Y, Z coordinates of thereceivers according to one or more methods of configuring the powertransmission antennas to transmit power waves to or near the receivers.The individual transmitters may communicate the determined X, Y, Zcoordinates of the receivers to a central processor of a device coupledto the transmitters, such as a master transmitter or a master server,where the X, Y, Z coordinates generated by each transmitter may bedetermined based on antennas phases and/or data received from thereceiver through a communications signal (e.g., heat-mapping data). Thecentral processor may be configured to generate a model of a commontransmission field that is monitored by the various sensors and/orcameras of the transmitters.

A central processor may generate two or three-dimensional models of acommon transmission field, based on inputs of various sensors and/orcameras. For example, the central processor may generate one model basedon the image data obtained from the video cameras of multipletransmitters, and another model generated based on the phases of theantennas determined by the antenna management software of the respectivetransmitters. The central processor may be configured to compare the twomodels, and send signals to one or more transmitters containing dataindicating or otherwise instructing a transmitter to adjust the powerwaves being produced, based on the optimal position of the receiversfrom a given transmitter determined by the comparison of the two models.In this case, the individual transmitters may not have to control thetransmission of the power waves on their own, but instead the centralprocessor may provide instructions/directions to form the energy pocketat locations of the receivers.

The individual transmitters of the wireless power transmission systemmay also be configured to transmit one or more parameters to the centralprocessor in a decentralized model of operation of the wireless powertransmission system. In one embodiment, the central processor mayreceive the raw image data captured by the video cameras of theindividual transmitters. The raw image data from the video cameras is asteady stream of images generated by the video cameras, where a givenvideo camera, inside its circuit, is creating multiple snapshots of agiven scene, for example, at 10 frames per second. This implies that at10 times per second, the camera will read the X, Y, Z coordinates of allthe pixel colors, or in some cases temperatures, in the field of view ofthe camera. The X, Y, Z coordinates may be converted into numeric value(symbolic data) by a processor of the transmitter, and then the numericvalue may be communicated back to the central processor. In anotherinstance, the transmitters may directly send the raw image data capturedby their own video cameras to the central processor.

The central processor may then receive the symbolic data that may begenerated by each transmitter computer vision software from the rawimage data. The symbolic data may include the X, Y, Z coordinates of thereceivers, the sizes of the receivers, and the velocity of the receiversif the receivers are moving. In this case, the computer vision softwareof each transmitter may be programmed to analyze the raw image data andsearch for object patterns. The stationary objects may be recognized ascontiguous BLOBs of pixels near the same background color, or the movingBLOBs of pixels which are contiguous pixels near the same backgroundcolor that are moving relative to the field of view of the transmitteras well as relative to the background pixels of the field of view. Thecomputer vision software then recognizes the BLOBs and generate thesymbolic data that comprises the X, Y, Z coordinates of the center orthe centroid of the BLOB, the size of the BLOB in terms of the number ofpixels or a percentage of the pixels compared to the field of view, orthe velocity of the BLOB, and the duration of the visibility of the BLOBin seconds. All the symbolic data may then be sent to the centralprocessor. The central processor may use all the symbolic data and/orthe raw image data being continuously and/or periodically received togenerate the three-dimensional cloud model which is a data structurethat may be useful for all the transmitters to use for wireless powertransmission by controlling the antenna phases of their antennas to formthe optimal energy pocket at each receiver location within the sametransmission field area. The three-dimensional cloud model may be datastructure that includes a list of X, Y, Z coordinates of all visuallyrecognized objects (such as humans and furniture) and the X, Y, Zcoordinates of all the receivers as determined by either the computervision software of each transmitter and/or the antenna managementsoftware at each transmitter. Along with the X, Y, Z coordinates of eachobject, the model may contain other details associated with the objectssuch as the BLOB size or average pixel color.

One advantage of the wireless power transmission system of the presentdisclosure is that the cameras 208 along with the computer visionsoftware of each transmitter sees the object, recognizes the location ofthe object, determines the X, Y, Z coordinates in less than a second,and then an antenna management software of the antennas 202 may rapidlyconfigure the phases of all the transmission antennas to aim thetransmission of the power waves and form the pocket of energy at thelocation of the object if the object is the receiver. Another advantageis that when a receiver is in motion, the antennas 202 may rapidlyconfigure the phases of all the transmission antennas in real time tofollow the moving receiver. If the receiver is a cellphone carried by ahuman, the transmitter may transmit to the receiver location once thehuman is no longer carrying the cellphone. Using the cameras 208 alongwith the computer vision software of the transmitter, the system is ableto re-aim the transmission antennas in real time so that the energypocket can efficiently move along with the receiver, and thus thereceiver keeps receiving power.

In an embodiment, if the user has a device without a battery and thedevice needs to have continuous power, for example, a LED light mountedon a wall in a room, then the LED light or similar device lacking abattery would only operate as long as there is a pocket of energy formedat the device or a receiver coupled to the device. In one scenario, if auser walks into the room, and stands between the transmitter 200 and theLED light, the LED light may go off until the transmitter 200 canreadjust the phase of the transmission antenna of the antennas 202 tobounce the wireless power from a different route around the room to theLED light. In other words, the wireless power transmission system canpower a device by being directly at the device and if there's somethingintervening then the wireless power of the wireless power transmissionsystem can bounce off other objects in the room. Using the cameras 208along with the computer vision software, the wireless power transmissionsystem respond a lot faster in case there's a person or somethingintervening between the transmitter 200 and the receiver as the computervision software of the transmitter 200 always monitors exactly where thereceiver is located, especially if the receiver has been moved or if thereceiver unit is moving. The cameras 208 always visually view thereceiver, and then the computer vision software of the processor 206 inreal time keeps calculating the X, Y, Z coordinates of that receiver andsend a signal to the antennas based on the location of the receiver tochange its phases to continuously and/or periodically power thereceiver.

Exemplary System Components with Thermal Camera Operations

FIG. 3 shows components of an exemplary wireless power transmissionsystem 300 for identifying objects within a transmission field of atransmitter using thermal imaging cameras, according to an exemplaryembodiment. FIG. 3 will be explained in conjunction to FIG. 1 and FIG.2. The wireless power transmission system 300, using the thermal imagingcameras 314 associated with the transmitters 302, may determine thesafest and most effective characteristics for wireless powertransmission, taking into account the presence of humans and otherliving beings, such as domestic animals within the transmission field ofthe transmitter. In addition, the wireless power transmission system 300using the thermal imaging cameras 314 may determine the characteristicsfor wireless power transmission, taking into account the presence ofother sensitive objects, which may include certain equipment and othervaluable objects that are sensitive to electromagnetic energy in powerwaves.

The wireless power transmission system 300 includes transmitters 302, anexternal mapping memory 304, a receiver 306 integrated in an electronicdevice 308 to be charged. The transmitters 302 may send various types ofwaves, such as communication signals 310, and power waves 312, into atransmission field, which may be the two or three-dimensional space intowhich the transmitters 302 may transmit power waves 312.

In addition, the wireless power transmission system 300 includes thermalcameras 314 that may receive thermal radiation from fields of viewoverlapping the transmission field of the transmitters 302 and generatea thermal image. The thermal image may include temperature data (thermalimaging data) obtained from the thermal radiation. The overlap betweenthe fields of view and the transmission field means that at least someportions of the fields of view are also within the transmission field ofthe transmitters 302, although in some embodiments the fields of viewmay extend beyond the transmission field. Additionally, the transmissionfield of the transmitters 302 may extend beyond the fields of view. Thethermal cameras 314 form thermal images of their respective fields ofview.

The transmitters 302 may include one or more transmitter processors thatmay be configured to process and communicate various types of data(e.g., heat-mapping data, thermal imaging data). For example, thetransmitter processor may generate heat-mapping data from thecommunications signals 310 received by communications components 316,and then, based upon thermal imaging data received from the thermalcameras 314 (or thermal camera processor), the transmitter processorsmay determine the safest and most effective characteristics for thepower waves 312.

In one embodiment, the thermal imaging cameras 314 may be physicallyassociated with the transmitters 302 (i.e., connected to, or a componentof), or devices may be configured to detect and identify variousconditions of the system 300 and/or transmission field. Thermal imagingdata may then be generated for the transmitters 302, which maycontribute to the generation and transmission of the power waves 312 bythe transmitters 302. The thermal imaging data may help the transmitters302 determine various modes of operation and/or how to appropriatelygenerate and transmit the power waves 312, so that the transmitters 302may provide safe, reliable, and efficient wireless power to the receiver306 and avoid transmitting power waves to locations where humans orother sensitive objects are present. As detailed herein, the thermalimaging cameras 302 may transmit the thermal imaging data derived fromthermal images formed during thermal imaging camera operations forsubsequent processing by transmitter processors of the one or moretransmitters 302. Additionally or alternatively, one or more thermalimaging camera processors may be connected to or housed within thethermal imaging cameras 314. The thermal imaging camera processors maycomprise a microprocessor that executes various primary data processingroutines, whereby the thermal imaging data received at the transmitterprocessor has been partially or completely pre-processed as useablemapping data for generating the power waves 312.

The thermal images in the field of view of the thermal cameras 314typically are recorded by two-dimensional (X by Y) pixel arrays.Specialized thermal imaging cameras 314 use focal plane arrays (FPAs)that respond to longer wavelengths (mid- and long-wavelength infrared).The most common types are InSb, InGaAs, HgCdTe and QWIP FPA. FPAsresolution typically is considerably lower than that of optical cameras,mostly 160×120 or 320×240 pixels. The thermal imaging cameras 314 tendto have a single color channel because the cameras generally use animage sensor that does not distinguish different wavelengths of infraredradiation. Sometimes the resulting monochromatic images are displayed inpseudo-color, in which changes in color are used rather than changes inintensity to display changes in the signal.

Specifications of the thermal imaging camera 314 may be selected fordetection of objects within fields of view overlapping the transmissionfield of the transmitter 302. Specification parameters may include forexample: number of pixels; ranging limit, or distances from the thermalimaging camera 314 for effective detection of objects; frame rate of thethermal imaging camera 314 operated to provide video output; angularfield of view (measured horizontally and vertically); minimum resolvabletemperature difference (MRTD); spectral band; and dynamic range. Withreference to FIG. 3, it should be understood that the field of view ofthe thermal imaging cameras 314 is the extent of the observableenvironment of the transmitters 302 that is seen at any given moment,which overlaps the transmission field of the transmitters 302. In anembodiment, the field of view may be a solid angle within which athermal imaging camera is sensitive to thermal radiation.

Thermal imaging data may be obtained from the thermal imaging cameras314 which is in the form of a two dimensional X by Y array of pixelsincludes at a basic level, analog and/or digital visual image data foreach pixel in the array. In an embodiment, data captured by the thermalimaging camera 314 includes infrared energy intensities detected by eachpixel in the array, and individual temperature values for each pixelbased on transformation of the infrared energy to form the temperaturedata. The thermal imaging data also can include data derived from thisbasic pixel data, e.g., to analyze objects in the field of view of theimaging sensor. This derivative thermal imaging data is generallysymbolic in nature, such as a number representing area of an object, oran array containing location components for an object. Because there aremultiple sources of the infrared energy, it can be difficult to get anaccurate temperature of an object using thermal imaging. The thermalimaging cameras 314, and computer vision processors (processorsexecuting computer vision software's) incorporated in or communicatingwith the thermal imaging cameras 314, are capable of performingalgorithms to interpret the thermal imaging data and build an image.Often, the computer vision techniques that have been developed forvisible light imaging, also can be applied to infrared imaging.

A plurality of the thermal imaging cameras 314 may be deployed fordetection of humans and other living beings within the transmissionfield of one or more transmitters 302. As shown in FIG. 3, the thermalimaging cameras 314 are respectively physically associated with thetransmitters 302, which effect thermal imaging of objects within thetransmission field of the transmitters 302 from different directions,i.e., stereoscopic imaging. The thermal imaging cameras 314 form thermalimages with different fields of view, overlapping the transmissionfields of the transmitters 302. Disparity analysis techniques can beemployed to determine three dimensional (3D) coordinates of objectsdetected by the two or more thermal imaging cameras 314. In anembodiment, a first thermal imaging cameras of the two or more thermalimaging cameras 314 may have a field of view in which an object inmotion appears in changes across the field of view (lateral motion),wherein a second thermal imaging cameras of the two or more thermalimaging cameras 314 may have a field of view in which motion of theobject appears in near-far image changes, providing less accuratemeasurements of movement. Image processing associated with one or bothof the thermal imaging cameras 314, and imaging processing of one orboth of the transmitters 302, may calculate 3D locations of objects suchas a living being detected by the thermal imaging cameras 314 within aglobal coordinate system of the transmitters 302. Transmitter(s) 302 maycompare the calculated 3D locations of objects detected by the thermalimaging cameras 314 with 3D locations of other entities of the wirelesstransmission system 300, such as the transmitters 302, receiver 306, andpocket of energy 318. Transmitters 302 may use a 3D location comparisonin determining whether to adjust a power level of the power waves 312,e.g., if the comparison indicates that a detected living being is withinpredetermined proximity to the transmitters 302, or is in predeterminedproximity to the pocket of energy 318. Upon detecting that a livingbeing or another sensitive object is within a predetermined proximity ofthe transmitter, the transmitter reduces or ceases transmission of powerwaves. Also, upon detecting that a living being or another sensitiveobject is between the transmit array and the receiver, or detecting thata living being or other sensitive object is within a predeterminedproximity of a receiver, the transmitter reduces or ceases transmissionof power waves to that receiver. Thermal imaging data and video imagingdata are superimposed on the same 2D or 3D coordinates to identify thelocations of living beings. One feature of the system described is thatit prevents exposing of living beings to EM radiation from power wavetransmissions.

In alternative embodiments, the plurality of thermal imaging cameras 314may be physically associated with the single transmitter 302; or atleast one of the plurality of thermal imaging cameras 314 may be locatedremote from the transmitter 302 but communicatively coupled to thetransmitter 302. The plurality of thermal imaging cameras 314 may belocated at the same height (e.g., both physically associated with floormounted transmitters), or at different heights (e.g., associatedrespectively with floor and ceiling mounted transmitters). Stereoscopicimaging using the plurality of thermal imaging cameras 314 may improvethe accuracy of object location detection and detection of objectdisplacements, which is useful, for example, in motion recognition andtracking. For example, two thermal imaging cameras 314 can provideimproved sensitivity in detecting distances of living beings from thetransmitter 302, in comparison to a single thermal imaging camera 314physically associated with that transmitter 302.

Another advantage of stereoscopic imaging of the transmission field ofthe one or more transmitter 302 is that obstacles (such as table) maypartially or completely obstruct the view of the living being or otherobject in the transmission field of the transmitter 302 by a firstthermal imaging camera of the thermal imaging cameras 314, but theobject may be clearly visible to a second thermal imaging camera of thethermal imaging cameras 314 that views the scene from a differentdirection. For example, a child may be blocked from the field of view ofthe first thermal imaging camera of the thermal imaging cameras 314 byan obstacle such as furniture, but may be visible to the second thermalimaging camera of the thermal imaging cameras 314. The system can sharecoordinates of the child obtained by the second thermal imaging cameraof the thermal imaging cameras 314 with the first thermal imaging cameraof the thermal imaging cameras 314.

One technique used in the present disclosure identifies a spatiallycontiguous area of pixels having temperature values meetingpredetermined criteria, such as pixels with temperature values fallingwithin a predetermined temperature range, or pixels with temperaturevalues falling within local temperature maxima. In the presentdisclosure, the term “visually contiguous pixels” is sometimes used fora spatially contiguous area of pixels in a thermal image havingtemperature values meeting predetermined criteria. The local coordinatesof the visually contiguous pixels represent the position of anassociated object in the field of view. As previously mentioned, theimage information contained in the selected image detail correspondingto the visually contiguous pixels can be treated in the image processingsoftware as a “Binary Large Object” (BLOB). A BLOB or predeterminedcharacteristics of a BLOB can be stored in databases (e.g., a databasewithin or coupled to the transmitter 302) as a single object; and can betreated as a pattern in thermal imaging software. For example, the BLOBcan represent a pattern of thermal imaging data that can be relocated inthermal images recorded later.

Thermal imaging data associated with visually contiguous pixels caninclude various geometric characteristics of the set of visuallycontiguous pixels. One geometric characteristic is the centroid, thecenter of mass of a two-dimensional planar lamina or a three-dimensionalsolid. Another characteristic is size, which may be estimated by an areameasured by the number of pixels in the set of visually contiguouspixels; by length and width of the visually contiguous pixels; or byradius of a round pattern of visually contiguous pixels. In someembodiments, upon identification of a human or other sensitive objectcovering a certain percent of the field of view of a camera co-locatedwith the transmitter, the transmitter ceases transmission of powerwaves. This is done in anticipation of scenarios where a human may walkin front of a transmitter at close range, and hence represent a certainpercent of the pixels of the field of view, and it would be necessary toavoid transmitting any power waves in order to assure complete safety ofthe human.

A further characteristic is shape, which may for example be aconfiguration file selected from an appearance pattern library. Theappearance pattern library may include multiple configuration files forthe same object taken from different orientations and differentdistances, which provides greater flexibility in recognizing thatobject. Further, when using stereoscopic imaging, the system may comparepatterns of visually contiguous pixels, such as visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels, acquired by multiple thermal imaging cameras fromdifferent perspectives. The system can compare these pixel patterns withdifferent configuration files in the appearance pattern library, toconfirm identification of a given object or a given object category.Configuration files of an appearance pattern library may be stored indatabases within the transmitters 302, and/or within the externalmapping memory 304, for ready access to these files following boot up ofthe transmitters 302. Configuration files may include patterns oftemperature, color such as skin tone and hair color, or facial featuressuch as eyes and mouth, representing visual patterns of a person.

A pattern of visually contiguous pixels can indicate the presence of aliving being in the field of view of a thermal imaging camera. As usedin the present disclosure, “visually contiguous body temperature pixels”refers to a spatially contiguous area of pixels in a thermal imagehaving temperature values that correspond to a temperature or range oftemperatures indicating presence of humans and/or other living beings.As a non-limiting example, visually contiguous body temperature pixelsfor detection of humans may be defined as pixels with temperature valuesin and around the range of about 36.5 C (97.7° F.) to about 37.5° C.(99.5 F). In addition or as an alternative to temperatures based on bodytemperature, in some embodiments “visually contiguous body temperaturepixels” may include temperatures of humans that are lower than normalbody temperatures, such as detected temperatures of clothing worn by ahuman.

Techniques for detecting living beings based upon visually contiguousbody temperature pixels may be based not only on temperature contrastsbetween visually contiguous body temperature pixels as warm objects,versus cooler backgrounds, but also other computer vision techniquessuch as shapes of visually contiguous body temperature pixel patterns(e.g., human upper body shape detection); movement of a pattern ofvisually contiguous body temperature pixels tracked over time (e.g.walking human detection and detection of other human motions); andbiometrics techniques (e.g., filtering visually contiguous bodytemperature pixel patterns based upon human height). In general, a BLOBrepresenting temperatures near human body temperatures are considered torepresent a human with high likelihood if they are not stationary, andthe transmission of power waves is reduced or ceased in response.

Various computer vision techniques for detection and recognition ofhumans and other living beings may be applied to thermal imaging in thewireless power transmission system 300. For example, the transmitter 302may implement tracking algorithms to determine whether an objectassociated with visually contiguous body temperature pixels is in motion(e.g., determine displacement). In some embodiments, multiple frames ofthermal images may display a changing pattern of visually contiguousbody temperature pixels against a static background image. An objectnear body temperatures that moves is considered to be a sensitiveobject, such as a human, and power wave transmission is reduced orceased.

System 300 may employ a variety of computer vision techniques fordetecting the presence and/or location of living being based uponthermal images formed by the thermal imaging cameras 314, whereinresulting thermal imaging data embodies visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels. Suitable human detection and recognition techniquesinclude for example human appearance patterns, sometimes called humanshape detection (e.g., head detection, face detection, hand detection,human upper body detection); human biometric attributes (e.g., humanheight); human motion detection; human activity detection (e.g., staticposture, motion, and offset); and body temperature detection (e.g., skindetection).

The system 300 may employ object tracking and recognition methods basedupon 2D thermal imaging data, or based upon 3D imaging dataincorporating depth information. The system 300 may utilize objectdetection methods that provide location information about living beings,or may utilize object recognition methods that do not provide thelocation information. In an embodiment, techniques for detecting livingbeings in the system 300 do not identify particular humans and do notclassify humans. Alternatively the system 300 provides humanidentification data and/or human classification data for controllingwireless power transmission. Examples include distinguishing infants orchildren from adults, or distinguishing mobile humans from immobilehumans, in determinations whether to adjust wireless power levels.

System 300 may employ indoor 3D mapping to reconstruct a digitalpresentation of the environment overlapping the transmission field ofthe transmitters 302. For example, thermal images formed by the multiplethermal imaging cameras may be processed to generate a 3D mapping field,in which point depth (i.e., a location of a point in a 3D mapping field)is computed using stereo matching techniques. Each transmitter 302 maymaintain in its database a 3D image map, such as a point cloud model,based on thermal imaging data of the transmitter's service area(transmission field). In addition, each transmitter 302 may generateheat-mapping data from the communications signals 310 to create a secondtype of 3D map of the transmission field. Multiple transmitters 302 mayupload their visual imaging data and/or heat map data to the externalmapping memory 304, which may act as a 3D model server that maintains athree dimensional point cloud model incorporating thermal imaging datareceived from all the transmitters 302 at a location. Individualtransmitters 302 may download the 3D models from the 3D model server toprovide more accurate 3D coordinates of objects detected by all thermalimaging cameras and other sensors. These image models may be used infeature matching of objects within the transmission field, includingliving beings and other objects such as table and receiver 302. In anexemplary embodiment, the system 300 effects indoor 3D mapping usingsparse feature matching, in which a number of distinct points areextracted from successive frames and the geometric relationship betweenthem is found.

System 300 may embody a library of programming functions used incomputer vision. For example, the system 300 may incorporate programmingfunctions from the OpenCV (Open Source Computer Vision) open sourcecomputer vision library; or may incorporate programming functionscustomized for wireless power transmission installations. For example,different computer vision functions may be used in floor-level thermalimaging systems (e.g., height recognition functions), as compared withthermal imaging systems physically associated with ceiling-mountedtransmitters (e.g., head detection functions); or different computervision functions may be used at different ranges of distance of detectedobjects from the transmitter.

In operation, the thermal imaging cameras 314 may detect whether livingbeings, such as person, enter a predetermined proximity of thetransmitter 302, power waves 312, and/or the pocket of energy 318. Inone configuration, the thermal imaging camera 314 may then instruct thetransmitter 302 or other components of the system 300 to execute variousactions based upon the detected objects. In another configuration, thethermal imaging camera 314 may transmit thermal imaging data to thetransmitter 302, and the transmitter 302 may determine which actions toexecute (e.g., adjust a pocket of energy, cease power wave transmission,reduce power wave transmission). For example, after the thermal imagingcamera 314 identifies that the person has entered the transmissionfield, and then determines that the person is within the predeterminedproximity (pre-defined distance) of power waves 312 and/or thetransmitter 302, the thermal imaging camera 314 could provide therelevant thermal imaging data to the transmitter 302, causing thetransmitter 302 to reduce or terminate transmission of the power waves312. As another example, after identifying the person entering thetransmission field and then determining that the person has come withinthe predetermined proximity of the pocket of energy 318, the thermalimaging camera 314 may provide thermal imaging data to the transmitter302 that causes the transmitter 302 to adjust the characteristics of thepower waves 312, to diminish the amount of energy concentrated at thepocket of energy 318, generate a null, and/or reposition the location ofthe pocket energy 318. In another example, the system 300 may comprisean alarm device 320, which may produce a warning, and/or may generateand transmit a digital message to a system log or administrativecomputing device configured to administer the system 300. In thisexample, after the thermal imaging camera 314 detects the personentering the predetermined proximity (pre-defined distance) of thetransmitter 302, the power waves 312, and/or the pocket of energy 318,or otherwise detects other unsafe or prohibited conditions of the system300, the sensor data may be generated and transmitted to the alarmdevice 320, which may activate the warning, and/or generate and transmita notification to the administrator device. A warning produced by thealarm device 320 may comprise any type of sensory feedback, such asaudio feedback, visual feedback, haptic feedback, or some combination.

In an example, a single thermal imaging camera 314 forms a plurality ofthermal images over time, and these images are analyzed to detect apattern of visually contiguous body temperature pixels and to determinethe area of this pattern. If the area of the pattern of visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels exceeds a prescribed threshold value,the system 300 terminates wireless power transmission by the transmitter302 as representing prohibited proximity to the transmitter 302 of theliving being associated with pattern of visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels. In a variation of this embodiment, the transmitter302 determines the total number of pixels within the field of view ofthe thermal imaging camera 314 that fall within the predetermined bodytemperature range regardless of whether these pixels are spatiallycontiguous, and terminates wireless power transmission if this pixelcount exceeds a predetermined threshold. In another variation of thisembodiment, based upon a series of image frames over time thetransmitter 302 determines the trend over time of the total number ofpixels within the field of view of the thermal imaging camera 314 thatfall within the predetermined body temperature range, and terminateswireless power transmission if the increase of this total number ofpixels exceeds a predetermined threshold.

In another example, the plurality of thermal imaging cameras 314 formthermal images including visually contiguous body temperature pixels. Aprocessor of the transmitter 302 receives thermal imaging data from thethermal imaging cameras 314 and applies stereoscopic vision analysis todetermine three dimensional coordinates of the pattern of visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels. The processor determines a centroidof the pattern of visually contiguous body temperature pixels, andcalculates the distance between that centroid and a predetermined 3Dlocation of the pocket of energy 318. If the distance is less than afirst predetermined threshold value, the system reduces the power levelof the power waves 312. If the distance is less than a secondpredetermined threshold value lower than the first predeterminedthreshold value, the system terminates transmission of the power waves312.

In a further example, each of the plurality of thermal imaging cameras314 forms a series over time of thermal images including visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels. A processor of the transmitter 302receives thermal imaging data from the thermal imaging cameras 314 andapplies motion tracking analysis contrasting the visually contiguousbody temperature pixels from background image elements in the thermalimage frame, to detect motion of the object associated with visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels. Additionally, the processor appliesstereoscopic vision analysis to determine three dimensional coordinatesof the pattern of visually contiguous body temperature pixels,calculating a centroid of the pattern of visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels. If the motion tracking analysis concludes that aliving being associated with the visually contiguous body temperaturepixels is moving toward the pocket of energy 318, the system reduces thepower level of the power waves 312. If the stereoscopic vision analysisdetermines that the distance between the living being and apredetermined 3D location of the pocket of energy 318 is less than apredetermined threshold distance, the system terminates transmission ofthe power waves 312.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 400 of identifyingobjects within a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system using thermal imaging cameras, according to anexemplary embodiment.

At a first step 402, a transmitter transmits power waves to apredetermined location. The power waves transmitted at this step 402 mayconverge into a three-dimensional constructive interference pattern,eventually forming one or more pocket of energy at the predeterminedlocation. In one example, the pre-determined location is the locationassociated to a receiver. The predetermined location may be included inmapping data, such as thermal imaging data or heat-map data, used fordetermining where in a transmission field to transmit power waves. Insome implementations, the mapping data containing the predeterminedlocation may be stored in a mapping memory that is internal or externalto the transmitter. In some implementations, the mapping data may begenerated in real-time or near real-time, by a transmitter processor ora sensor processor. In addition, in some implementations, the mappingdata containing the predetermined location may be provided from a userdevice, through a software application associated with the wirelesscharging system.

In some embodiments of step 402, the transmitter transmits power wavesthat converge in the transmission field to form a pocket of energy atthe predetermined location, and also power waves that converge to form asecond pocket of energy at a second location in the transmission field,which is separate from the predetermined location for the first pocketof energy. That is, in some instances, power waves may result in thegeneration of side lobes of power waves, which causes the formation ofone or more second pocket of energy, in addition to the first pocket ofenergy generated at the predetermined location. In some implementations,the predetermined location for the first pocket of energy and the secondlocation having the second pocket of energy, are both included inmapping data (e.g., thermal imaging data, heat-map data), tracking thelocations of pocket-forming for the transmitter. Although waveformgeneration and transmission techniques may be employed to avoid orreduce formation of side lobes, various embodiments of wireless powertransmission disclosed herein, such as the exemplary method 400, mayintelligently protect living beings and sensitive objects when these andother types of second pocket of energy are present in a transmissionfield.

At a next step 404, one or more thermal imaging cameras generate thermalimages in transmission field of the transmitter. The thermal imagingcamera, or primary processing circuitry associated with the thermalimaging camera, communicates thermal imaging data to the transmitter. Inan embodiment, a thermal imaging camera may communicate to thetransmitter thermal imaging data including visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels. In an embodiment, the thermal imaging cameras maycommunicate to the transmitter location-related thermal imaging dataconcerning the presence and/or location of objects, such as a livingbeing associated with visually contiguous body temperature pixels in thethermal images.

In an embodiment of step 404, a first thermal imaging camera is locatedat a first position on the transmitter, and a second thermal imaging islocated at a second position on the transmitter separated from the firstposition. In an embodiment, the first and second sensors acquirestereoscopic data indicating location of a pattern of visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels in the thermal images.

In an embodiment, a thermal imaging camera forms a plurality of thermalimages over time of one or more field of view overlapping thetransmission field of the transmitter. In an embodiment, the thermalimaging camera communicates to the transmitter thermal imaging dataindicating motion of visually contiguous body temperature pixels in thethermal images.

At a next step 406, the transmitter identifies a living being in thetransmission field based on temperature data in the thermal images. Inanother embodiment, the transmitter and/or the thermal camera identifiesa living in the transmission field based on visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels in the thermal images. As an example, one or morethermal imaging cameras may acquire raw thermal imaging data including apattern of visually contiguous body temperature pixels, process the rawthermal imaging data, and then generate thermal imaging data containinginformation indicating the presence or location of a living beingassociated with the pattern of visually contiguous body temperaturepixels.

In an embodiment of step 406, a plurality of thermal imaging camerascommunicate stereoscopic thermal imaging data to the transmitter, andeither one or both of the thermal imaging cameras, or the transmitter,applies disparity analysis to determine three dimensional coordinates ofa living being associated with the pattern of visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels.

A further embodiment, one or more thermal imaging cameras may acquirethermal imaging data containing information indicating the displacementor motion of a living being, based upon a series at different times ofthermal images including a pattern of visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels indicating the presence of the living being. In anexample, the transmitter uses this motion information to sense movementof the living being relative to the other objects of the wireless powertransmission system, such as the transmitter, or the predeterminedlocation of pocket of energy formed by the transmitter. In someembodiments, one or more thermal imaging cameras, the transmitter, orboth, may calculate characteristics of the pattern of thermallycontiguous body temperature pixels, such as centroid, area, length andwidth, radius, velocity (for a time series of thermal images) and shape.

At a next step 408, transmitter determines proximity of identifiedliving being to power waves. In order to calculate the proximity, thetransmitter calculates a distance between location of identified livingbeing and power waves being transmitted in the transmission field of thetransmitter. The transmitter then adjusts the power level of the powerwaves upon determining that the proximity of the living being is withina pre-defined distance from the power waves. In one example, thepre-defined distance corresponds to distance from the living being tothe transmitter. In another example, the pre-defined distancecorresponds distance from the living being to the receiver.

In another embodiment, the transmitter determines whether to adjust thecharacteristics of the power waves, based upon information indicatingthe presence of a living being based upon visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels. In an embodiment, the transmitter compares locationdata for the living being obtained at step 406, with coordinates (e.g.,one-dimensional coordinates, two-dimensional coordinates,three-dimensional coordinates) of the transmitter. In anotherembodiment, transmitter compares information concerning the locationdata for the living being, obtained at step 406, with coordinates (e.g.,one-dimensional coordinates, two-dimensional coordinates,three-dimensional coordinates, polar coordinates) of the predeterminedlocation of power transmission waves. In an embodiment, the transmittercalculates a distance of the living being from the transmitter, andreduces or terminates power in the event that distance falls below athreshold proximity value. In an embodiment, the transmitter calculatesa distance of the living being from the location of the pocket ofenergy, and reduces or terminates power in the event that distance fallsbelow a threshold proximity value.

In another embodiment of step 408, the transmitter compares informationconcerning the location data for the living being, obtained at step 406,with coordinates (e.g., one-dimensional coordinates, two-dimensionalcoordinates, three-dimensional coordinates, polar coordinates) of thelocation of the pocket of energy; and analyzes information concerningmotion of the living being, obtained at step 406. If the informationconcerning motion of the living being indicates motion of the livingbeing toward the location of the pocket of energy, the transmitterreduces the power level of power transmission waves; and if theinformation concerning the location of the living being indicates lessthan a threshold distance from the location of the pocket of energy, thetransmitter terminates wireless power transmission.

In some implementations, in step 406, the transmitter may apply safetytechniques to the determination of whether to adjust the power waves,using the location data in the sensor data associated with the livingbeing or sensitive object. One safety technique is to include a marginof error (e.g., a margin of 10%-20%) beyond the regulatory limits orother limits on maximum permissible power level or on EMF exposure, toensure living beings are not exposed to power levels at or near thelimits. Another safety technique is to make a determination to adjustthe power waves in the event an obstacle obstructs the field of view ofa thermal imaging camera.

At a next step 410, the transmitter may execute one or more actions, ifthe transmitter determines at a previous step 408 to adjust power wavesbased on the information relating to presence of the living being. Insome cases, the transmitter reduces the power level of the power wavesat the predetermined location, when the transmitter determines at aprevious step 408 to adjust the power waves. In some cases, thetransmitter terminates transmission of the power waves to thepredetermined location, when the transmitter determines at a previousstep 408 to adjust or terminate the power waves. In some cases, thetransmitter diminishes the amount of energy of the power waves at thepredetermined location, when the transmitter determines at a previousstep 408 to adjust the power waves. In some embodiments, the transmitterredirects the transmission of the power waves around the living being orsensitive object, when the transmitter determines at a previous step 408to adjust the power waves. Additionally or alternatively, thetransmitter may activate an alarm of the transmitter or wirelesscharging system, when the transmitter determines at previous step toadjust the power waves.

Exemplary System Components with Visual & Ultrasonic Devices

FIG. 5 shows components of an exemplary wireless charging system foridentifying objects within a transmission field of a transmitter using athermal imaging camera with ultrasonic transducers, according to anexemplary embodiment. FIG. 5 will now be explained in conjunction withFIG. 1-3.

The system 500 may include transmitters 502, an external mapping memory504, a receiver 506, and an electronic device 508 to be charged.Transmitters 502 may send various types of waves, such as communicationsignals 510, and power waves 512, into a transmission field, which maybe the two or three dimensional space into which the transmitters 502may transmit the power waves 512.

System 500 includes an imaging sensor 514 that generates visual imagingdata for a living being or sensitive object within at least a portion ofa transmission field of the transmitter together with one or moreultrasonic transducers 516 that generates ultrasound detection data todetect living beings and other sensitive objects within the transmissionfield of the transmitter 502. The location of the living being and/orthe sensitive object is then determined based on the visual imaging dataand the ultrasound detector data. In another embodiment, thiscombination of detection devices can generate three dimensional locationinformation for the living beings and other sensitive objects, which canbe used by the transmitter 502 in controlling wireless powertransmission. The combined detection devices provide significantly moreeffective object detection and location than would be achieved usingonly ultrasound, or using only a single camera or other imaging sensor,enabling reliable detection of certain objects near the transmitter 502that may not be amenable to visual detection alone, or that may not beamenable to ultrasound detection alone. For example, ultrasound with nocamera may not effectively discriminate between humans and other livingbeings, versus other objects. A single camera without ultrasoundgenerally would not detect the distance from the transmitter 502 of anobject in two dimensional image data, and therefore may not detectunsafe proximity to the transmitter 502 of a living being or othersensitive object.

System 500 includes the imaging sensor 514 that may receive radiationfrom a field of view overlapping the transmission field of thetransmitters 502. In one embodiment, the imaging sensor 514 may be avideo camera. In the embodiment of FIG. 17, the imaging sensor 514 maybe a thermal imaging camera that may receive thermal radiation from thefield of view. However, it should be understood that the imaging sensorincludes other devices that can acquire two dimensional (2D) visualimaging data based upon other types of radiation within the field ofview of the imaging sensor. In yet another embodiment, the imagingsensor is a visible light camera. The overlap between the field of viewand the transmission field of the transmitter 502 means that at leastsome portions of the field of view are also within the transmissionfield of the transmitters 502, although in some embodiments the field ofview may extend beyond the transmission field. Additionally, thetransmission field of the transmitters 502 may extend beyond the fieldof view.

Additionally, the system 500 includes the ultrasound transducers 516,which capture ultrasonic detection data of objects in an ultrasound scanregion that overlaps the field of view of the imaging sensor 514, andthat overlaps the transmission field of the transmitters 502. Theoverlap between ultrasound scan region and the field of view means thatat least some portions of the ultrasound scan region are also within thefield of view, although in some embodiments the ultrasound scan regionmay extend beyond the field of view. The overlap between the ultrasoundscan region and the transmission field means that at least some portionsof the ultrasound scan region are also within the transmission field,although in some embodiments the ultrasound scan region may extendbeyond the transmission field.

In an embodiment, the ultrasound transducers 516 generate ultrasoundenergy for range finding of objects within the ultrasound scan region.Although the following discussion refers to ultrasound pulses, it shouldbe understood that the ultrasound energy transmitted and received by theultrasound transducers 516 also may take the form of continuous waves.Ultrasound pulses are generated within the ultrasound scan region,overlapping the field of view. If there is an object in the path ofthese pulses, part or all of the pulses will be reflected back to thetransmitter as an echo and can be detected through the receiver path. Bymeasuring the difference in time between the ultrasound pulsestransmitted and the echo received, the system can determine the distanceof the object. By measuring a phase difference between the two echoes,the system can calculate the angle of the objects, e.g., as measuredfrom a reference angle. A calculated distance and angle of an object canbe represented as a vector from a reference point, such as a midpointbetween the ultrasound transducers 516 (in the present disclosure such avector is sometimes called a “location vector” for the object).

In one embodiment, the imaging sensor, such as the thermal imagingcamera 514, is communicatively coupled to the transmitters 502 and maybe physically associated with the transmitters 502 (i.e., connected to,or a component of). Although in some instances, the thermal imagingcamera 514 is shown positioned between the transmitters 502, in variousembodiments the thermal imaging camera 514 would be positioned on orwithin a housing of the transmitter 502. The imaging sensor 514generates two dimensional imaging data, such as thermal imaging data,for the transmitters 502, which may contribute to the generation andtransmission of the power waves 512 by the transmitters 502.Additionally, the one or more ultrasound transducers 516, arecommunicatively coupled to the transmitters 502 and may be physicallyassociated with the transmitters 502 (i.e., connected to, or a componentof). The ultrasound transducers 516 generate ultrasound detection datafor the transmitters 502, which may contribute to the generation andtransmission of the power waves 512 by the transmitters 502.Transmitters 502 may use the combination of the thermal imaging datafrom the thermal imaging camera 514 with the ultrasonic detection datato determine various modes of operation and/or to appropriately generateand transmit the power waves 512. For example as further describedbelow, the combination of the thermal imaging data from the thermalimaging camera 514 with the ultrasonic detection data may determinethree dimensional location information for a living being or sensitiveobject within the field of view of the thermal imaging camera 514, incontrolling generation and transmission of the power waves 512, so thatthe transmitters 502 may provide safe, reliable, and efficient wirelesspower to the receiver 506.

In an illustrated embodiment, such as the exemplary system 500, the oneor more ultrasound transducers 516 are internal components of thetransmitter 502. In some embodiments, the one or more ultrasoundtransducers 516 may be external to the transmitter 502 and maycommunicate, over a wired or wireless connection, ultrasonic detectiondata to the one or more transmitters 502. The thermal imaging camera 514and the ultrasound transducers 516 may provide the thermal imaging dataand the ultrasound detection data, respectively, to the one or moretransmitters 502, and the processors of the transmitters 502 may thenshare this data to determine the appropriate formulation andtransmission of the power waves 512. Host transmitters 502 may send andreceive object detection data with other detection devices, and/or withother host transmitters in the system 500. Additionally oralternatively, the thermal imaging camera 514, the ultrasoundtransducers 514, or the host transmitters 502 may transmit or retrieveone or more of visual imaging data, ultrasound detection data, and dataderived from the processing of visual imaging data with ultrasounddetection data, to or from one or more mapping memories 504.

The ultrasound transducers 516 may transmit ultrasound detection datafor subsequent processing by a transmitter processor of the transmitter502. Additionally or alternatively, an ultrasound detection processormay be connected to or housed within one or more ultrasound transducers516. An ultrasound detection processor may comprise a microprocessorthat executes various primary data processing routines, whereby theultrasound detection data received at the transmitter processor has beenpartially or completely pre-processed as useable mapping data forgenerating the power waves 512.

In another embodiment, the thermal imaging camera 514 and the ultrasoundtransducers 516 may include a processor that receives detection datafrom other detection devices, wherein detection data received at thetransmitter processor from a combination of detection devices has beenpartially or completely pre-processed as useable mapping data forgenerating the power waves 512. For example, the thermal imaging camera514 and the ultrasound transducers 516 may include a processor thatreceives both two dimensional imaging data from the thermal imagingcamera 514, and the ultrasound detection data from the ultrasoundtransducers 516, and that determines three dimensional locationinformation for a living being or sensitive object within a field ofview of the thermal imaging camera 514.

With reference to FIG. 5, it should be understood that the ultrasoundscan region is not limited to the region of the ultrasound waves but mayinclude other directions from ultrasound transducers 516 and may extendfurther than the cross sectional plane from the imaging sensor's fieldof view. The ultrasound scan region overlaps the transmission field ofthe transmitters 502 and the field of view of thermal imaging camera 514but may have a greater or lesser extent than these other regions.Generally, ultrasound signal wavelengths have a relatively short reach,and ultrasound is well suited to range finding in indoor environments.

The ultrasound transducers 516 are physically associated with thetransmitters 502, respectively and transmit ultrasound waves, in anultrasound scan region that overlaps the field of view of the thermalimaging camera 514, and that overlaps the transmission field of thetransmitters 502. Echoes of the ultrasound waves may be reflected by oneor more objects within the ultrasound scan region, such as a livingbeing or sensitive object. In an embodiment, each of the ultrasoundtransducers 516 transmits ultrasound pulses, and the time required toreceive echoes of transmitted pulses is used to determine distance ofobjects. Ultrasound software receives object detection data from boththe ultrasound transducers 516, and may perform a disparity analysisbased on phase differences of ultrasound detection measurements from theultrasound transducers 516. Based on this analysis, the system generatesa location vector for each detected object. In an embodiment, thelocation vector is a location within a global coordinate system that canbe used to specify three dimensional location information for objectswithin the field of view of the transmitters 502.

In an embodiment, the ultrasound transducers 516 are located along aline parallel to the X-Y area of the field of view of the imaging sensor514. In an embodiment, the imaging sensor 514 is located substantiallyat a midpoint between the ultrasound transducers 516. In anotherembodiment not shown, the ultrasound transducers 516 may be located nearthe right and left edges of the transmitter housing of the transmitters502, and the imaging sensor 514 may be located in line with theultrasound transducers 516, substantially at a midpoint between them.

FIG. 6 illustrates components of a wireless power transmission system600 for identifying objects within a transmission field of a transmitterusing ultrasonic transducers, according to an exemplary embodiment.

In an embodiment, a sensor processor, or ASIC, is integrated withintransmitter (Tx) 602. In some embodiments, the ASIC and/or sensorprocessor of Tx 602 communicates commands to, and receives data from,ultrasound transducer 604 (left transducer; “UT-L”) and ultrasoundtransducer 606 (right transducer; “UT-R”) usingSerial-Peripheral-Interface (SPI) interface.

In various embodiments, the ultrasound sensor components provide a timedsequence of steps in transmitting ultrasound pulses (or pings) andreceiving echoes of these pulses from objects in an ultrasound scanregion of transducers 604, 606. In an embodiment, the sequence includesthe following steps, in timed sequence: (1) UT-L 604 transmitsultrasound pulses (pings) 608, as commanded by SPI 616; (2) UT-L 604receives echoes 610 of the ultrasound pulses; (3) UT-R 606 transmitsultrasound pulses (pings) 612, as commanded by SPI 620; (4) UT-R 606receives echoes 614 of the ultrasound pulses. In an embodiment, steps(2) and (4) are allocated sufficient time to complete collection ofechoes from any objects within the transmission field, and then arefollowed immediately by the next transmission step. After step (4) isconcluded, the sequence is repeated.

In an embodiment, during steps (3) and (4) when UT-R 606 is transmittingpings and receiving echoes, UT-L 604 may communicate echo data 618 to Tx602 based on the echoes 610 previously received during steps (1) and(2). Similarly, during steps (1) and (2) when UT-L 604 is transmittingpings and receiving echoes, UT-R 604 may communicate echo data 620 to Tx602 based on the echoes 614 previously received during steps (3) and(4).

This timed sequence permits ultrasound transducers 604 and 606 totransmit and receive signals using the same frequency, withoutinterference with each other. Alternatively, ultrasound transducers 604and 606 may operate on different frequencies.

In an embodiment, ultrasound transducers operate asynchronously withthermal imaging manager, but these devices time stamp reports totransmitters of thermal imaging data and ultrasound data in order toidentify contemporaneously acquired data. In an embodiment, computervision processing for thermal imaging camera, and ultrasound processingfor ultrasound transducers, collectively operate within short cycletimes. In exemplary embodiments, the cycle time of system for visualimaging and ultrasound detection may be between 9 cycles per second and30 cycles per second. Advantageously, the system recognizes a livingbeing or sensitive object and rapidly adjusts transmission of powerwaves based on this information. In an embodiment, the system terminatesor limits the power level of wireless power transmission within 90milliseconds of identifying an electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure riskvia visual imaging and/or ultrasound detection.

In another embodiment, system includes a global coordinate system thatis defined with respect to a transmitter. In this global coordinatesystem, a location vector for a detected object can measure a distancebetween the object and transmitter. In an embodiment, the globalcoordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system in which transmitteris associated with coordinates (0, 0, 0). Two dimensional visual imagingdata from imaging sensor may be correlated with ultrasound detectiondata from ultrasound transducers within the global coordinate system, toderive three dimensional location information for detected objects (suchas living beings or sensitive objects) within the field of view ofimaging sensor.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a wireless power transmission system700 with thermal imaging camera and ultrasonic transducers, according toan exemplary embodiment.

Left ultrasonic transducer 704, right ultrasonic transducer 706, andthermal imaging (infrared) camera 702 are located in-line along axis714. Infrared camera is located substantially at a midpoint betweenultrasonic transducers 704 and 706. Each of ultrasonic transducers 704and 706 transmits ultrasound pulses that are reflected off object 708,with echoes of these pulses reflected back to the transducers. Eachtransducer detects the amplitude and elapsed time of received echoes.The elapsed time of return of an ultrasound pulse indicates distance ofan object from the ultrasound transducer. Triangulation algorithms maybe employed to identify an “ultrasound angle” of object 708 based on anoffset of time as between the readings by transducers 704, 706. In thepresent disclosure “ultrasound angle” refers to the angle of a vector toan object's location as detected by the ultrasound sensors. Thus in theexemplary configuration of FIG. 19, object 708 is closer to transducer706 than to 708, as indicated by a commensurately greater time for theecho to return to transducer 704. In processing the echoes from object708, therefore, the system determines a vector 716 from the leftultrasound transducer 704 to the object 708, and determines a vector 718from the right ultrasound transducer 716 to the object 708.

An ultrasound transducer operating as a ranging device may detect echoesfrom numerous objects within its ultrasound scan region, maintaining alist of these echoes with associated distance measurements. Givenobjects, however, can provide ultrasound echo of an amplitude that ischaracteristic of that object. Echo readings from transducers 704, 706can be compared to identify echoes that were generated by the sameobject. In this manner, the system can identify and analyze pairs ofcorresponding echoes associated with a common object such as object 708.

An object detected by infrared camera 702 may be defined by a horizontallocation, i.e. location along the X-axis 712 from the field of view ofthe infrared camera. For example the horizontal location may be theX-coordinate a centroid of a pattern of visually contiguous pixelsdetected by thermal imaging camera 702, as further described below. Areference line, or normal, 710 extends from the infrared camera 702perpendicular to the axis 714. Horizontal angles of objects within thefield of view of infrared camera 702 may be defined with respect to thenormal 710; for example an object located on the normal 710 is at thecenter of the field of view. In the present disclosure, the angle to thehorizontal location of an object within the field of view of thermalimaging camera 702, e.g., angle A of the line 720, is called the “visualangle”.

In an embodiment in which the thermal imaging camera is located at themidpoint between the ultrasound transducers, the “ultrasound angle” canbe defined with reference to the same normal 710 in the globalcoordinate system that is used to define the visual angle. An objectlocated on the normal 710 is equidistant from ultrasonic transducers 704and 706, hence echoes from this object would have the same elapsed timemeasurement. In the configuration of FIG. 7, the system 700 woulddetermine ultrasound angle A based upon the triangulation of object 708.

Visual angles can be compared with ultrasound angles in identifyingobjects. If the visual angle of an object 708 detected by the thermalimaging camera 702 substantially corresponds to the ultrasound angle ofan object detected by ultrasound transducers 704, 706, it is highlyprobable that the object detected by the ultrasound transducers is thesame as the object detected by the thermal imaging camera.

FIG. 8 is a two dimensional, X-Y grid of the field of view of a thermalimaging camera displaying several visually contiguous human temperaturepixel patterns.

An exemplary thermographic image 800 within the field of view of athermal imaging camera is shown. The thermographic image 800 includes arectangular grid of pixels 820 arrayed along an X axis and Y axis. Eachof the pixels has an associated numerical value based on measurement ofinfrared energy, wherein this value indicates a correspondingtemperature. In an embodiment, pixels of varying temperature values aredisplayed in a thermogram using pseudo-colors. In an embodiment, thethermal imaging data is analyzed to identify patterns of pixels havingtemperature values within defined ranges. Pixels within definedtemperature ranges are grouped in patterns of visually contiguouspixels. In an embodiment, a temperature range is selected to identifywith temperature values characteristic of human body temperatures, i.e.visually contiguous body temperature pixels.

Multiple patterns of visually contiguous body temperature pixels may bearrayed in the field of view of thermal imaging camera. Thethermographic image of field of view 800 includes three patterns ofvisually contiguous body temperature pixels, including a larger, highercentral pattern 802 and smaller, lower side patterns 804, 806 ofvisually contiguous body temperature pixels. The thermographic image 800might for example indicate features of a human, such as a human headcorresponding to pattern 802, and human hands corresponding to patterns804, 806.

In an embodiment, the system analyzes the patterns of visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels for various characteristics (symbolicthermal imaging data). These characteristics may include for example,two dimensional locations of the centroid 808 of visually contiguousbody temperature pixels 802; two dimensional locations of the centroid810 of visually contiguous body temperature pixels 804; and twodimensional locations of the centroid 812 of visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels 806.

In an embodiment, the system 500 of FIG. 5 combines thesetwo-dimensional thermal imaging data with sensor measurements byultrasound transducers 516 of objects corresponding to the visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels (such as living beings, or limbs orfeatures of living beings) to obtain three dimensional locations. Eachof these ultrasound measurements identifies a distance to one of theobjects corresponding to patterns 802, 804, and 806. Ultrasound anglesmay be correlated with visual angles corresponding to horizontallocations of the centroids 808, 810, and 812 to confirm that a givenultrasound reading corresponds to one of the objects associated with thethermal imaging data. Ultrasound amplitude measurements also may be usedin confirming correspondence of detected objects. In an embodiment,distances determined by ultrasound ranging are combined with the X and Ycoordinates of centroids 808, 810, and 812 to determine threedimensional (X, Y, Z) coordinates for each of the visually identifiedobjects.

Exemplary Embodiments using Decision Manager Component

FIG. 9 illustrates an architecture of components of a wireless powertransmission system 900, according to an exemplary embodiment.

The components of the wireless power transmission system 900 may includean imaging sensor, two ultrasound transducers, and a decision managerthat processes outputs of these devices. In one embodiment, the imagesensor may operate as a video camera. TX power control 938 is configuredto control power waves transmitted by a transmitter. In an embodiment,the transmitter transmits the power waves through at least two antennas.The power waves converge in a three dimensional space to form pocket ofenergy for receiving by an antenna element of a receiver, wherein thereceiver is configured to harvest power from the pocket of energy.Decision manager 930 is configured to communicate a decision 932 to theTX power control 938. In an embodiment, the decision 932 instructs theTX power control 938 whether to adjust a power level of the power wavesbased upon three dimensional location information determined by thedecision manager 930 for one or more object within the transmissionfield of the transmitter (e.g. living being, obstacle). Additionally thedecision manager 930 may communicate to the TX power control 938 threedimensional coordinates 934 of the one or more object within thetransmission field.

In an embodiment, the decision 932 communicated by decision manager 930to the TX power control 938 is one of the following: (a) a decision tomaintain full power level of the power waves; (b) a decision to reducethe power level of the power waves; or (c) a decision to terminatetransmission of power waves. In options (b) or (c), immediately uponreceipt of the decision 932, the TX power control 938 reduces orterminates transmission of power waves by controller, thereby enhancingsystem safety. The decision to reduce the power level of power waves,option (b), may include different levels of reduction of power level,for example based on different calculated distances of a living beingfrom a transmitter based upon the three dimensional location informationcalculated by the decision manager 930.

To summarize the architecture and functions of the system 900, thedecision manager 930 receives visual imaging data 918 (image datacaptured by camera) from a computer vision (CV) module 914, and receivesultrasound data 920 from an ultrasound processing (US) module 916. Thedecision manager 930 comprising a processor processes the visual imagingdata 918 to identify a first set of coordinates of an object in theimage data captured by the video camera with respect to location of thevideo camera, and the ultrasound data 920 to identify a second set ofcoordinates to identify a second set of coordinates of an object in theimage data captured by the ultrasound sensors with respect to locationof the video camera. In one embodiment, the processor of the decisionmanager 930 processes the visual imaging data 918 and the ultrasounddata 920 to calculate three dimensional location information for theobject within the transmission field of transmitter. In anotherembodiment, processor of the decision manager 930 calculate threedimensional location information for the object within the transmissionfield of transmitter based on the first and second set of coordinates.

The decision manager 930 may apply predetermined criteria to thecalculated three dimensional location information to provide thedecision 932. CV 914 generates the visual imaging data 918 based upontwo dimensional imaging data (e.g., X-Y thermal imaging data) 908 thatthe CV 914 receives from an infrared camera 902. US 916 generates theultrasound data 920 based upon echoes data (left) 910 and echoes data(right) that US 916 receives respectively from left ultrasoundtransmitter 904 (US-T (L) 904) and from right ultrasound transmitter 906(US-T (R) 906).

In an embodiment, the TX power control 938 and the decision manager 930are physically associated with wireless power transmitter (i.e.,connected to, or a component of). Infrared camera 902 is communicativelycoupled to transmitter and may be physically associated with transmitter(i.e., connected to, or a component of). The IR-C 902 may be positionedon or within a housing of a transmitter, or may be communicativelycoupled to the transmitter but physically separated from transmitter.Likewise, the US-T (L) 904 and the US-T (R) 906 may be positioned on orwithin a housing of a transmitter, or may be communicatively coupled tothe transmitter but physically separated from transmitter. In anembodiment, the IR-C 902, the US-T (L) 904, and the US-T (R) 906 aremounted to a housing of the transmitter, with the IR-C 902 locatedsubstantially at a midpoint between the US-T (L) 904 and the US-T (R)906. The computer vision module 914 may be connected to or housed withinthe infrared camera 902, or may be physically separated from the IR-C902. Similarly, the ultrasound processing module 910 may be one or moreprocessor module connected to or housed within one or both of the US-T(L) 904 and the US-T (R) 906, or may be physically separated from theultrasound transducers.

The infrared camera 902 forms two dimensional images using infraredradiation. The infrared camera 902 may be a near-infrared cameras thatuse the near-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum closest tovisible light, or may be a thermal infrared camera that generallyoperates in the far infrared region. In an embodiment, the IR-C 902captures thermal images of the objects within the camera's field of viewand records these thermal images in two dimensional pixel arrays as X, Ythermal imaging data 908. Each pixel or photo site in the array detectsinfrared energy intensities, and the IR-C 902 stores individualtemperature values for each pixel based on transformation of theinfrared energy. Additional details of infrared imaging are describedabove.

The visual imaging data 918 of particular significance in the operationsof the decision manager 930 include data indicating the presence of aliving being or sensitive object within the transmission field oftransmitter, and as well as data indicating presence of an obstaclewithin the transmission field of transmitter. Thermal imaging isespecially useful in identifying living beings as warm objects withinthe field of view of the infrared camera 902, but thermal imaging alsocan be used to identify obstacles. Additionally, ultrasound imaging canprovide useful ultrasound data 920 about presence, configuration, andlocation of obstacles to complement the visual imaging data 918.

The computer vision module 914 applies computer vision techniques toobtain the visual imaging data 918 based upon the X, Y thermal imagingdata 918. Generally the visual imaging data 918 relates to twodimensional or one dimensional characteristics of the X, Y thermalimaging data 908, since the thermal imaging data 908 does not includethree dimensional imaging data. In an embodiment, the CV 914 analyzesthe thermal imaging data 908 to detect one or more object within thefield of view of the IR-C 902 (in the present disclosure, such visuallyidentified objects are sometimes called “visual objects”). In oneembodiment, the CV 914 analyzes the thermal imaging data 908 to detectpatterns of visually contiguous pixels. For example, the CV 914 mayanalyze the thermal imaging data 908 to detect one more pattern ofvisually contiguous body temperature pixels, such as the patterns 802,804, 806 shown in FIG. 8. The CV 914 may analyze any identified patternsvisually contiguous body temperature pixels for geometriccharacteristics such as area, centroid, length and width, and mayprovide visual imaging data based on this analysis to the decisionmanager 930.

In addition, the CV 914 may compare the visually contiguous pixel fileswith configuration files to look for a match with stored configurations.For example, the CV 914 may compare the configuration of visuallycontiguous body temperature pixels with human appearance patterns,sometimes called human shape detection (e.g., head detection, facedetection, hand detection, human upper body detection). Alternatively,some of these computer vision analyses, such as human appearance patternanalysis, may be carried out by the decision manager 930. In addition,the decision manager 930 may use other computer vision techniques forhuman recognition such as human biometric attributes (e.g., humanheight); human motion detection; human activity detection (e.g., staticposture, motion, and offset), and body temperature detection (e.g., skindetection). The combination of two-dimensional visual imaging data 918with depth information obtained from the ultrasound data 920 to derivethree dimensional location information can be critical to some of thesetechniques.

Ultrasound processing module 916 analyzes echoes data (left) 910obtained from US-T (L) 904 and echoes data (right) 910 obtained fromUS-T (R) 906 to derive ultrasound data 920 for objects within ultrasoundscan regions of US-T (L) 904 and US-T (R) 906. Typically ultrasound dataincludes vector data for a list of objects detected by US-T (L) 904 andUS-T (R) 906 (in the present disclosure, such objects identified throughultrasound are sometimes called “ultrasound objects”). In an embodiment,vector data for each ultrasound object includes distance and ultrasoundangle, for each of the detected objects. In an embodiment, theultrasound processing module 916 pairs object detection data from US-T(L) 904 with object detection data from US-T (R) 906, based ondetermination that the paired data are associated with the sameultrasound object.

In an embodiment, the decision manager 930 compares the visual imagingdata 918 for visual objects, with the ultrasound data 920 for ultrasoundobjects. The decision manager 930 may use various techniques toassociate visual objects with ultrasound objects, as discussed abovewith reference to FIG. 7. For example, the decision manager 930 may lookfor correspondence between a visual angle for a given visual objectwithin the field of view of the IR-C 902, with an ultrasound angle for agiven ultrasound object. In an embodiment, the decision managerdetermines a visual angle to a visual object using a horizontal locationcorresponding to X, Y coordinates of a centroid of the visual objectreceived from the computer vision module 914, calculating the visualangle to that X, Y location. If the visual angle corresponds to theultrasound angle, decision manager may determine that the visual objectcorresponds to the ultrasound object.

In an embodiment, the comparison by the decision manager 930 of X-Ylocation information included in the visual imaging data 918 withultrasound vectors contained in the ultrasound data 920, is basedpredominantly on a basis of substantially horizontal locationinformation. In an embodiment, visual angles of visual objects includedin the visual imaging data 918 correspond to substantially horizontal,X-axis, locations of the visual objects. Similarly, in an embodiment,ultrasound angles of ultrasound objects included in the ultrasound data920 correspond to locations within a horizontal zone of the ultrasoundtransducers 904 and 906 and of the ultrasound scan regions of theseultrasound transducers. In an embodiment, these sensing characteristicsare designed to sense most accurately objects that are at the samegeneral height as the transmitter and the transmission field oftransmitter; e.g. ground-level power transmission.

When the decision manager 930 determines that a visual objectcorresponds to an ultrasound object, it may use the related visualimaging data 918 and the ultrasound data 920 to calculate threedimensional location information, such as X, Y, Z location coordinates,for the object in question. The three dimensional location informationcan include various other three dimensional information beyond X, Y, Zlocation coordinates of objects, such as three dimensional data onmovement of an object obtained by analyzing a series of frames of X, Ythermal imaging data 908; areas, length and widths of objects; patternrecognition data; etc.

In another embodiment, the decision manager 930 may identify multiplevisual objects within the field of view of IR-C 902 and may analyze thevisual objects to look for relationships. For example, decision managermay analyze whether multiple visually contiguous body temperature pixelscorrespond to different features of a given living being (such as headand hands) or whether the multiple patterns visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels correspond to more than one living being. Comparisonby the decision manager 930 of the visual imaging data 918 with theultrasound data 920 can an important element of this analysis. Forexample, a comparison with the ultrasound data 920 may show that a firstpattern of visually contiguous body temperature pixels is located at asignificantly different distance from the IR-C 902 than a second patternof visually contiguous body temperature pixels, indicating that thesepatterns identify different physical objects.

In an embodiment, decision manager also may receive a 3D model 936 fromTx power control or from another component of the wireless powertransmission system, such as external mapping memory. For example,multiple transmitters may communicate with one or more decision manager930 to maintain a 3D image map, such as a point cloud model, based inpart on three dimensional location information derived from visualimaging data and ultrasound data. In addition, each transmitter maygenerate heat-mapping data from communications signals to create asecond type of 3D map of the transmission field. Multiple transmittersmay upload their visual imaging data and/or heat map data to externalmapping memory, which may act as a 3D model server that maintains athree dimensional point cloud model incorporating thermal imaging datareceived from all transmitters at a location. Individual transmittersmay download the 3D models from the 3D model server to provide moreaccurate 3D coordinates of objects detected by all thermal imagingcameras and other sensors. Decision manager 930 may compare this 3Dmodel with three dimensional location information obtained fromanalyzing the visual imaging data 918 and the ultrasound data 920, indetermining the decisions 932.

In an embodiment, the decision manager 930 may communicate notificationsto components of the wireless power transmission system 900. Forexample, a decision 932 can be considered a notification by decisionmanager to the TX power control 938. Tx power control may forward thisand other information received from the decision manager 930 to thewireless power transmission manager 940, which oversees operations ofthe wireless power transmission system 900 and optionally, to otherelements of the wireless power transmission system such as a set ofantennas. For example, the TX power control 938 may communicatenotifications to the wireless power transmission manager 940 via thecloud 942, which may be an internet cloud, a business cloud, or aservice provider cloud. Wireless power management system may store thesenotifications and other information at the server 944.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 1000 of identifyingobjects within a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system using a thermal imaging camera with ultrasonictransducers, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Transmitters of a wireless power system may comprise a thermal imagingcamera and ultrasound detectors that collectively detect whether aliving being is in proximity to one or more pocket of energy, powerwaves, and/or a transmitter. In these circumstances, the system mayanalyze thermal imaging data generated by the camera and ultrasounddetection data generated by the ultrasound transducers, to determine 3Dlocation information for a living being or sensitive object within thetransmission field of the transmitter. This three dimensional locationinformation may cause the transmitter to reduce or terminate powerlevels of power waves, among a number of additional or alternativeactions.

At a first step 1002, a camera acquires thermal imaging data for aliving being or sensitive object within a field of view of the camera.The field of view of the camera overlaps a transmission field of thetransmitter. In some embodiments, the camera acquires two dimensionalthermal imaging data. In an embodiment, the camera acquires twodimensional thermal imaging data for a living being or sensitive objectwithin a field of view of the camera overlapping a transmission field ofthe transmitter.

In an embodiment of step 1002, the camera acquires thermal imaging dataincluding visually contiguous pixels. In various embodiments, the camerais a thermal imaging camera. In an embodiment, the thermal imaging dataincludes visually contiguous body temperature pixels indicating a twodimensional location of the living being within the field of view of athermal imaging camera. In an embodiment, the camera is a single thermalimaging camera, which may communicate to the transmitter two dimensionalthermal imaging data concerning the presence and/or location of objects,such as a living being associated with visually contiguous bodytemperature pixels.

In an embodiment, the camera is a thermal imaging camera that forms aplurality of thermal images over time of one or more field of viewoverlapping the transmission field of the transmitter. In an embodiment,the thermal imaging camera communicates to the transmitter thermalimaging data indicating motion of visually contiguous body temperaturepixels in the thermal images.

At a second step 1004, at least one ultrasound transducer incommunication with the transmitter captures ultrasound detection data ofone or more objects in an ultrasound scan region. In an embodiment, theultrasound scan region overlaps the field of view of the imaging sensorand the transmission field of the transmitter.

In an embodiment of step 1004, a first ultrasound transducer capturesfirst ultrasound detection data for one or more object in the ultrasoundscan region, and a second ultrasound transducer captures secondultrasound detection data for the one or more object in the ultrasoundscan region. In an embodiment, the first ultrasound detection data andthe second ultrasound detection data is processed to provide ranginginformation for the one or more object. In an embodiment, the firstultrasound detection data and the second ultrasound detection data isprocessed to provide an ultrasound angle for the one or more object. Inan embodiment, the camera of step 1002 is located substantially at amidpoint between the first ultrasound transducer and the secondultrasound transducer.

In an embodiment, at step 1002 the camera acquires the thermal imagingdata for the living being or the sensitive object within an X-Y imagearea of the field of view of the imaging sensor; and at step 1004 afirst ultrasound transducer and a second ultrasound transducer arelocated on a line parallel to the X-Y image area. The first ultrasoundtransducer and a second ultrasound transducer located on a line parallelto the X-Y image area capture ultrasound detection data for the one ormore object in the ultrasound scan region.

At a next step 1006, a processor of the transmitter or in communicationwith the transmitter determines three dimensional location informationfor the living being or the sensitive object based upon the thermalimaging data and the ultrasound detection data.

In an embodiment of step 1006, two ultrasound transducers captureultrasound detection data for the one or more object in the ultrasoundscan region, and the processor determines an ultrasound angle for theone or more object. The processor determines , wherein the includes avisual angle of the living being or the sensitive object in the thermalimaging data from the camera and the ultrasound detection data includesan ultrasound angle of the one or more object from the camera. Theprocessor of the transmitter or in communication with the transmitterdetermines correlating the visual angle of the living being or thesensitive object with the ultrasound angle of the one or more object todetermine that the one or more object corresponds to the living being orthe sensitive object.

In an embodiment of step 1006, a decision manager associated with thetransmitter determines the three dimensional location information forthe living being or the sensitive object based upon the thermal imagingdata and the ultrasound detection data.

In a next step 1008, the transmitter controls the transmission of powerwaves based upon three dimensional location information for the livingbeing or the sensitive object based upon the thermal imaging data andthe ultrasound detection data. In an embodiment of step 1008, thetransmitter compares the three dimensional location data for the livingbeing or sensitive object obtained at step 1006, with coordinates (e.g.,one-dimensional coordinates, two dimensional coordinates, threedimensional coordinates) of the transmitter. In an embodiment, thetransmitter calculates a distance of the living being or sensitiveobject from the transmitter, and reduces or terminates power in theevent that distance falls below a threshold proximity value. In anotherembodiment of step 1008, the transmitter compares information concerningthe three dimensional location data for a living being or sensitiveobject, obtained at step 1008, with coordinates (e.g., one-dimensionalcoordinates, two dimensional coordinates, three dimensional coordinates,polar coordinates) of a predetermined location of a pocket of energy. Inan embodiment, the transmitter calculates a distance of the living beingfrom the predetermined location of the pocket of energy, and reduces orterminates power in the event that distance falls below a thresholdproximity value.

In an embodiment of step 1008, a decision manager associated with thetransmitter makes a decision whether to adjust the power level of thepower waves based upon the three dimensional location information thethree dimensional location information. In this embodiment, the decisionwhether to adjust the power level of the power waves may be one of adecision to maintain full power level of the power waves, a decision toreduce the power level of the power waves, or a decision to terminatethe power waves.

In an embodiment of steps 1006 and 1008, a decision manager associatedwith the transmitter determines three dimensional location informationfor an obstacle within the transmission field of the transmitter, anddetermines to terminate transmission of power waves if this threedimensional location information indicates that the obstacle obstructsthe field of view of the camera.

In some implementations, in step 1008 the transmitter, or the decisionmanager associated with the transmitter, may apply safety techniques tothe determination of whether to adjust the power waves, using thelocation data in the sensor data associated with the living being orsensitive object. One safety technique is to include a margin of error(e.g., a nominal margin of 10%-20%) beyond the regulatory limits orother limits on maximum permissible power level or on EMF exposure, toensure living beings are not exposed to power levels at or near thelimits. Another safety technique is to make a determination to reduce orterminate the power waves in the event an obstacle obstructs the fieldof view of the camera.

At a next step 1010, the transmitter may execute one or more actions ifthe transmitter (or a decision manager associated with the transmitter)determines to adjust power waves based upon the three dimensionallocation information for the living being or the sensitive object basedupon the thermal imaging data and the ultrasound detection data. In somecases, the transmitter reduces the power level of the power waves at thepredetermined location. In some cases, the transmitter terminatestransmission of the power waves. In some embodiments, the transmitterredirects the transmission of the power waves around the living being orsensitive object. Additionally or alternatively, the transmitter mayactivate an alarm of the transmitter or wireless charging system.

FIG. 11 shows an exemplary frame 1100 from a video captured by imagingsensor in a field of view overlapping the transmission field of atransmitter in a wireless power transmission system, according to anexemplary embodiment.

The imaging sensor such as a thermal imaging camera captures videoimaging data of a scene including a human being 1102, wireless powerreceiver 1104, electronic device 1106, and table 1108 supporting thereceiver 1104 and electronic device 1106. The system identifies humanbeing 1102 as a selected object, and captures an extracted video segmentin the form of a single frame showing biometric features and othervisual features of the human being 1102. The “selected object” refers toan item of interest in video imaging data, usually captured within thetransmission field of a wireless power transmission system. Examples ofobjects include a person, a pet, an electronic device that receiveswireless power, a wireless power receiver, a wireless power transmitter,and an obstacle. In an embodiment, selected objects include livingbeings (such as human beings and animals) and other sensitive objects.Sensitive objects may include certain equipment and other valuableobjects that are sensitive to electromagnetic energy in power waves.Selected objects may include object categories (such as human beings),and may include particular objects (such as a uniquely identifiedelectronic device).

In the time indicator 1112, the system captures the single frame at time1116. The system identifies the movement (indicated by arrow A) of humanbeing 1102 toward wireless power receiver 1104 as a selected event, andextracts a video segment in the form of video clip showing this movementover the time span 1114. The system identifies certain activities ofhuman being 1102 during this movement as additional selected events, andextracts an array of frames depicting these selected events. Theseadditional selected events include human being 1102 entering a zone 1110of defined proximity to the receiver 1104 (snapshot extracted at time1118), and human being 1102 raising the electronic device 1106 off ofthe receiver 1104 (indicated by arrow B; snapshot extracted at time1120). The zone 1110 of proximity to the receiver 1104 is a selectedlocation corresponding to a rectangular section of frame 1100, indicatedschematically by dotted lines. It should be understood that althoughFIG. 11 illustrates the scene of frame 1100 in two dimensions, aplurality of imaging sensors may capture three dimensional video imagingdata of a scene, and various objects and locations (such as human being1102 and zone of proximity 1110) can be defined using three dimensionalcoordinates.

In an embodiment, the “selected event” refers to one or more objectsengaged in an activity of interest. Selected events may be referencedwith respect to a particular location or time. An “activity” refers toone or more action or composites of actions of one or more objectsincluding interactions between objects. Examples of activities includeentering; exiting; moving; stopping; raising; and lowering. Examples ofselected events include a living being or sensitive object entering alocation in close proximity to a transmitter or a pocket of energy 2337;video imaging data of a living being growing over time (indicating thatthe living being is moving toward the transmitter); and movement offurniture carrying a wireless power receiver 2303 that causes anobstacle to obstruct an imaging sensor's view of the receiver.

In an embodiment, the “selected location” refers to a space, usuallywithin the transmission field of the wireless power transmission system,where an object of interest may be located or where an activity ofinterest may occur. A selected location can be scene-based orimage-based. Examples of scene-based locations include a room; anenclosed area within a room; an area in which wireless powertransmission is authorized; an area in which wireless power transmissionis prohibited; physical extent of a transmission field of a wirelesspower transmitter; extent of overlapping transmission fields of multiplewireless power transmitters; a zone of defined proximity to atransmitter; a zone of defined proximity to a receiver or pocket ofenergy; a zone of proximity to an electronic device; three dimensionalcoordinates of a pocket of energy; three dimensional coordinates ofmultiple pocket of energy; a space obstructed by an obstacle; avertically limited space such as an area under a table carrying awireless power receiver; and a location tagged by a system user via atagging device. Examples of image-based locations include: a videoimage; a line in a video image; an area in a video image; a rectangularor polygonal section of a video image; and visually contiguous pixelswithin a video image. A selected location can be a three dimensionalspace, two dimensional space, or one dimensional space.

In an embodiment, a processor that is communicatively coupled to imagingsensors receives video imaging data captured by one or more of imagingsensors, and analyzes this video imaging data to identify one or moreselected features within the transmission field of transmitters. In anembodiment, based upon the identified selected features, the processorextracts from the video imaging data, one or more selected videosegments depicting the one or more selected features.

As used in the present application, the term “selected features” refersto one or more features of video imaging data that are identified inorder to select video segments to be extracted from the video imagingdata. Selected features are sometimes called features of interest in thepresent disclosure. In one embodiment, selected features may includeobjects, events and locations, or combinations of these items, withinvideo imaging data that are identified in order to select video segmentsto be extracted from the video imaging data. In an embodiment, theselected features are features of video imaging data captured within thetransmission field, such as features that are particularly important ornoticeable. In an embodiment, selected features are identified byanalyzing video imaging data using predetermined criteria. In anembodiment, selected features are identified via computer analysis ofthe video imaging data using computer vision techniques, or other objectrecognition techniques. As used in the present application the term“selected video segments” refers to one or more video segments that areextracted from video imaging data, and that depict one or more selectedfeatures.

The processor issues a report including the extracted selected videosegments. In an embodiment, the processor communicates this report to awireless power management system, for example, hosted in a cloud or aserver. In various embodiments, the cloud may be an internet cloud; abusiness cloud, or a service provider cloud. In another embodiment, theprocessor communicates the selected video segments to a transmitter, andthe transmitter reports a report including the selected video segmentsto the wireless power management system.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram 1200 illustrating steps of computer videoanalytics of video imaging data captured during wireless powertransmission in a wireless power transmission system, according to anexemplary embodiment.

Imaging sensors of a wireless power system may capture actual videoimages within a field of view overlapping a transmission field oftransmitters during the transmission of power waves for receiving by anantenna element of a receiver. A processor analyzes the actual videoimages to identify selected features, such as selected objects andselected events, within the transmission field and to extract one ormore selected video segments depicting the selected features. Selectedvideo segments, and related image analysis data, may be reported to awireless power management system for use in system analytics,troubleshooting, and other purposes.

At step 1202, an imaging sensor captures video imaging data with thefield of view of one or more imaging sensor, overlapping thetransmission field of a transmitter. The imaging sensor captures thevideo imaging data during the transmission by the transmitter of powerwaves that form one or more pocket of energy for receiving by an antennaelement of a receiver. The receiver is configured to harvest power fromthe one or more pocket of energy, for example to charge or power anelectronic device. In an embodiment, the imaging sensor is a thermalimaging camera that captures video imaging data in the form of thermalimages. In another embodiment, the imaging sensor is an optical imagingcamera that captures video imaging data in the form of visible lightimages. In an embodiment, a plurality of imaging sensors capturestereoscopic video imaging data. In an embodiment, the system convertsvideo imaging data captured as analog video signals into video imagingdata in digital form.

In various embodiments, the video imaging data may be video feeds orrecorded video. The video imaging data captured by the imaging sensorsmay include two dimensional video images, or three dimensional videoimages. The video imaging data may consist of X by Y arrays of pixeldata. In an embodiment in which the imaging sensor is a thermal imagingcamera, the video imaging data includes X by Y arrays of pixel datarepresenting temperatures. In an embodiment in which the imaging sensoris an optical imaging camera, the video imaging data includes X by Yarrays of pixel data representing individual color (e.g., RGB) values.

In an embodiment, the video imaging data includes a pattern of visuallycontiguous pixels corresponding to one or more objects within the fieldof view. In an embodiment, the video imaging data includes a pattern ofvisually contiguous body temperature pixels corresponding to one or moreliving being within the field of view.

At step 1204, a processor analyzes the video imaging data to identifyone or more selected features within the transmission field of thetransmitter. In an embodiment, the one or more selected features includeone or more of a selected object, a selected event, and a selectedlocation. In an embodiment, the one or more selected features includeone or more of a transmitter, a receiver, an electronic device thatreceives power from a receiver, a living being, a sensitive object, andan obstacle.

In an embodiment, the selected feature includes a selected event,including one or more object engaged in an activity of interest. In anembodiment, the object is engaged in one or more of the followingactivities: entering; exiting; moving; stopping; raising; lowering;growing; and shrinking. In an embodiment, the selected event includes anobject engaged in an activity of interest with respect to anotherobject. In an embodiment, the selected event includes an object engagedin an activity of interest with respect to a location withintransmission field of the transmitter.

In an embodiment, the selected feature includes a selected locationwithin the transmission field of the transmitter. In an embodiment, theselected location includes one or more of an area of authorized powertransmission; an area of prohibited power transmission; a zone ofpredefined proximity to a transmitter; a zone of predefined proximity toa receiver; or a zone of predefined proximity to an electronic device.In an embodiment, the selected location is an image-based locationwithin video imaging data. The selected location may include a videoimage; a line in a video image; an area in a video image; a rectangularor polygonal section of a video image; or a visually contiguous pixelswithin a video image

In an embodiment of the step 1204, the selected feature includes aselected event affecting exposure of a living being or sensitive objectto the power waves that form the one or more pocket of energy forreceiving by an antenna element of a receiver, or affecting efficiencyof transmission by the transmitter of power waves that form one or morepocket of energy.

In an embodiment, the processor uses computer vision techniques toidentify one or more selected features in the video imaging data. In anembodiment, the processor additionally uses data other than imaging data(such as data from a sensor other than an imaging sensor) to identifyone or more selected features in the video imaging data.

At step 1206, the processor extracts from the video imaging data, one ormore selected video segments depicting the selected features identifiedat step 1204. In an embodiment, the selected video segments include oneor more of video clips; extracted video stills, frames or snapshots; andsequences or arrays of video stills or frames. In an embodiment, theselected video segment includes a timed sequence of snapshots.

In an embodiment, the selected video segments are extracted forreporting in real time. In another embodiment, the extracted videosegments are recorded for later viewing. In various embodiment, theselected video segments are accompanied by other content. In oneembodiment, embodiment, the selected video segments are accompanied byaudio content such as audio feeds or extracted audio clips. In anotherembodiment, the selected video segments are accompanied by messages ortext content. In an embodiment, selected video segments are accompaniedby tags or metadata.

At step 1208, the processor uses computer vision analysis to provideimage analysis data of objects within the transmission field of thetransmitter. In an embodiment, the video segments extracted at step 1206are accompanied by the image analysis data obtained from computer visionanalysis of video imaging data in monitoring or analyzing operations ofthe wireless power transmission system. In an embodiment, the imageanalysis data is based on analysis of one or more of the selectedfeatures identified at step 1204. In an embodiment, the image analysisdata includes a model of a visual scene overlapping the transmissionfield of the transmitter.

At step 1210, the processor reports selected video segments extracted atstep 1206 to a wireless power management system. In an embodiment, theprocessor reports image analysis data provided at step 1208 to awireless power management system, along with the selected videosegments. In an embodiment, the processor reports the selected videosegments the wireless power management system in real time, for currentmonitoring of the wireless power transmission system. In an embodiment,the processor reports recordings of selected video segments to thewireless power management system, for review at a later time.

Exemplary Method of Generating Symbolic Data

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

At step 1302, cameras and/or sensors coupled to a transmitter maycapture location data for objects and/or receivers within athree-dimensional region of interest of a transmitter, such as thetransmission field of the transmitter and/or some region beyond thetransmission field. The transmitter may include one or more cameras thatare configured to view the three-dimensional region of interest of thetransmitter. The cameras may include one or more video cameras. The oneor more video cameras may include but not limited to infrared cameras,thermal cameras, and visible light cameras.

In some embodiments, the transmitter may include a single video camera.In another embodiment, the transmitter may include an array of videocameras of same or different types such as infrared cameras, thermalcameras, and visible light cameras. The array of video cameras may bepositioned for viewing a region of interest of the transmitter. In somecases, the region of interest corresponds to a transmission field (ortransmission field area) of the transmitter. The array of video camerasmay be arranged in a linear array in the transmitter. In an alternateembodiment, the various other spatial arrangements includingtwo-dimensional arrays of video cameras may be used.

In some embodiments, such as an exemplary system, the cameras may be acomponent of the transmitter, housed within the transmitter. In someembodiments, the cameras may be external to the transmitter and maycommunicate, over a wired or wireless connection with one or moretransmitters.

At step 1304, an image processor controlling operations of the one ormore cameras of the transmitter may capture image data of one or moreobjects within the three-dimensional region of interest. The transmittermay comprise a separate distinct image processor, or the image processormay be the same processor of the transmitter used to manage othertransmitter functions. In some implementations, the image processor mayhave a triggering mechanism for capturing a set of one or more imageframes containing image data of one or more areas within thethree-dimensional region of interest by the one or more video cameras.The triggering mechanism may have a central clock signal and an optionalsignal delivery unit. The central clock signal is delivered via thesignal delivery unit to the one or more video cameras. In anotherembodiment, it is also possible to deliver the central clock signaldirectly to the one or more video cameras either by a physicalconnection or by a wireless connection. In other embodiments, the one ormore video cameras may have their own internal synchronized clocks. Aperson of skill in the art will recognize that there are many ways toprovide clock signal for the transmitter and will appreciate how toadjust the configuration of the transmitter depending on the actual wayin which clock signal is generated and distributed to the one or morevideo cameras of the cameras of the transmitter.

The one or more objects may include electronic devices such as cellphones, laptops, humans, animals, furniture such as chairs, receiversembedded within the electronic devices, and receivers as individualcomponents.

At step 1306, the image processor may capture image data within thethree-dimensional region of interest. After a trigger signal isgenerated by the trigger mechanism of the transmitter, the one or morevideo cameras of the image processor initiates the capturing of the oneor more objects in the transmission field area of the transmitter, andproduces the image data capturing the one or more objects within thetransmission field. The image data captured by the one or more videocameras of the image processor may include images/frames capturing theone or more objects within the transmission field of the transmitter.

In one embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuit maybe configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor continuously and/or periodically capture the image data,video data, and audio data in the transmission field of the transmitter.In another embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuitmay be configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor are activated at a different time with respect to eachother to capture the image data in the transmission field of thetransmitter.

At step 1308, the image processor may transmit the image data to aprocessor of the transmitter, in such embodiments where the imageprocessor is a distinct processor from the transmitter processor. Thecameras capture images within the three-dimensional region of interestof the transmitter, and transmits it to the processor of thetransmitter. The processor processes the image data to generate symbolicdata from the image data at step 1310. The symbolic data corresponds todata represented by a numerical value for each of the one or moreobjects in the image data, and the symbolic data varies depending on avideo camera used from the one or more video cameras to capture theimage data.

An image processor, as well as other potential processors of thetransmitter, may include a single processor or a plurality of processorsfor configuring the transmitter as a multi-processor system, and maycontrol functional aspects of the transmitter based on signal inputs andfirmware programming. The processor includes suitable logic, circuitry,and interfaces that are operable to execute one or more instructions toperform predetermined operations. The processor can be realized througha number of processor technologies known in the art. The examples of theprocessor include, but are not limited to, an x86 processor, an ARMprocessor, a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processor, anApplication-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) processor, or a ComplexInstruction Set Computing (CISC) processor.

The processor may include a computer vision software or any suitablesoftware that is programmed to recognize and locate the position of theone or more objects in the captured images. In order to recognize theone or more objects, the image data may be processed to generate thesymbolic data. In one embodiment, the symbolic data may include atemperature value of each of the one or more objects in the image datawhen the image data is captured by a thermal camera. The symbolic datais analyzed to determine number of the one or more objects,three-dimensional (XYZ) coordinates of the one or more objects, motionstatus of the one or more objects, and size of the one or more objects.

At step 1312, the processor compares the symbolic data with pre-storeddata. The symbolic data may be compared with the pre-stored data storedin a memory unit in order to identify each object in the one or moreobjects captured in the image data. In one embodiment, during the stepof identifying the objects from the image data whose symbolic data istemperature values, the processor recognizes the face and/or other bodycharacteristic of the object and then compares the face and/or anotherrelevant body characteristic read with a corresponding face and/or otherpre-memorized body characteristic stored as the pre-stored data toidentify the object from the one or more objects within the image data.The objects identified based on comparison with the pre-stored data mayinclude receivers, electronic devices, humans, and animals.

The processor is further configured to transmit a signal to antennas ofthe transmitter on identifying the given object. The antennas areconfigured to control the transmission of one or more power wavestowards the given object. For example, the antennas is configured totransmit the one or more power waves towards the given object when thegiven object is identified as a receiver unit, and the antennas areconfigured to not transmit the one or more power waves towards the givenobject when the given object is identified as a living being.

At step 1314, the processor transmits the symbolic data to admincomputer based upon matching. When the computer vision software of theprocessor recognizes the object in the image data based on the matchingof the objects with the pre-stored data, then the computer visionsoftware of the processor is also configured to transmit the symbolicdata to the admin computer. In one embodiment, the computer visionsoftware may transmit the raw image data of the matched objects to theadmin computer. In another embodiment, the computer vision software maydetermine the X, Y, Z coordinates of the matched objects and transmitsit to the admin computer.

Exemplary Method of Matching Visual Patterns

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying receiverswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

At 1402, cameras and/or sensors coupled to a transmitter may capturelocation data for objects and/or receivers within a view athree-dimensional region of interest of a transmitter, such as thetransmission field of the transmitter. The transmitter may include ancameras that is configured to view the three-dimensional region ofinterest of the transmitter. The cameras may include one or more videocameras. The one or more video cameras may include but not limited toinfrared cameras, thermal cameras, and visible light cameras.

In some embodiments, the transmitter may include a single video camera.In another embodiment, the transmitter may include an array of videocameras of same or different types such as infrared cameras, thermalcameras, and visible light cameras. The array of video cameras may bepositioned for viewing a region of interest of the transmitter. In somecases, the region of interest corresponds to a transmission field (ortransmission field area) of the transmitter. The array of video camerasmay be arranged in a linear array in the transmitter. In an alternateembodiment, the various other spatial arrangements includingtwo-dimensional arrays of video cameras may be used.

In some embodiments, such as an exemplary system, the cameras may be acomponent of the transmitter, housed within the transmitter. In someembodiments, the cameras may be external to the transmitter and maycommunicate, over a wired or wireless connection with one or moretransmitters.

At 1404, an image processor controlling operations of the one or morecameras of the transmitter may capture image data of objects by thecameras of the transmitter in the three-dimensional region of interest.The transmitter may comprise a separate distinct image processor, or theimage processor may be the same processor of the transmitter used tomanage other transmitter functions. In some implementations, the imageprocessor of the transmitter may have a triggering mechanism forcapturing a set of one or more image frames containing image data of oneor more areas within the three-dimensional region of interest by the oneor more video cameras. In one embodiment, the triggering mechanism mayhave a central clock signal and an optional signal delivery unit. Thecentral clock signal is delivered via the signal delivery unit to theone or more video cameras. In another embodiment, it is also possible todeliver the central clock signal directly to the one or more videocameras either by a physical connection or by a wireless connection. Inother embodiments, the one or more video cameras may have their owninternal synchronized clocks. A person of skill in the art willrecognize that there are many ways to provide clock signal for thetransmitter and will appreciate how to adjust the configuration of thetransmitter depending on the actual way in which clock signal isgenerated and distributed to the one or more video cameras of thecameras of the transmitter.

The one or more objects may include electronic devices such as cellphones, laptops, humans, animals, furniture such as chairs, receiversembedded within the electronic devices, and receivers as individualcomponents.

At 1406, the image processor may capture image data within thethree-dimensional region of interest. After a trigger signal isgenerated by the trigger mechanism of the transmitter, the one or morevideo cameras of the image processor initiates the capturing of the oneor more objects in the transmission field area of the transmitter, andproduces the image data capturing the one or more objects within thetransmission field. The image data captured by the one or more videocameras of the image processor may include images/frames capturing theone or more objects within the transmission field of the transmitter.

In one embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuit maybe configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor continuously and/or periodically capture the image data,video data, and audio data in the transmission field of the transmitter.In another embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuitmay be configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor are activated at a different time with respect to eachother to capture the image data in the transmission field of thetransmitter.

At 1408, the image processor may receive the image data including visualpatterns corresponding to each of the one or more objects from the oneor more cameras. The image processor may capture the visual patternscorresponding to each of the one or more objects within thethree-dimensional region of interest of the transmitter, and maytransmit the image data to an image processor or other processor of thetransmitter. The visual patterns may be selected from a group consistingof points, lines, colors, shape, and letters.

At 1410, the image processor or other processor of the transmitter maycompare the visual patterns corresponding to each of the one or moreobjects with pre-stored data. The corresponding to each of the one ormore objects is compared with the pre-stored data. The pre-stored dataincludes a list of visual patterns selected from a group consisting ofpoints, lines, colors, shapes, and letters. In an embodiment, thecomputer vision software of the processor of the transmitter is trainedby one or more techniques to perform the comparison of the visualpatterns to identify the matching visual patterns. For example, theconfiguration files having the visual patterns of sample objects may bestored in the pre-stored data in a memory unit of the transmitter. Thecomputer vision software of the processor compares the received visualpatterns which may be in form of pixels with the configuration files ofthe sample object stored in the memory unit.

At 1412, the image processor or other processor of the transmitter mayidentify objects based on comparison result and determine location ofidentified objects. In an embodiment, the processor is configured toidentify objects from the one or more objects when their correspondingone or more visual patterns matches with one or more visual patterns inthe list of visual patterns in the pre-stored data. In anotherembodiment, the processor is configured to identify each of the one ormore objects when their corresponding one or more visual patternsmatches with one or more visual patterns in the list of visual patternsin the pre-stored data. In one example, the identified objects maycorrespond to receivers. In another example, the identified objects maycorrespond to electronic devices having an integrated receiver unit. Inyet another example, the identified objects may correspond to humans orother sensitive objects.

After identifying the objects, the processor is further configured todetermine the location of the identified objects. In one example, theprocessor is configured to receive two-dimensional coordinates of theidentified objects from the cameras. In another example, the processoris configured to determine the two-dimensional coordinates of theidentified objects based on pixels of the identified objects in thecapture image received by the image captured unit. The processor isfurther configured to determine a third dimension coordinate for each ofthe identified objects using the transmitter as a frame of reference foreach of the identified objects to generate three-dimensional coordinatesof each the identified objects based on the two-dimensional coordinates(e.g., from cameras) and the third dimension coordinate (e.g., from asensor) that correspond to the location of each of identified objects.

At step 1414, an antenna controlling processor or other processor of thetransmitter may control transmission of power waves by the transmitterbased on the location of objects identified by the same or differentprocessor of the transmitter. In an embodiment, a processor of thetransmitter may report the X, Y, Z coordinates of the identified objectsthat are recognized as the receiver unit to an antennas of thetransmitter. Based on the received coordinates of the receiver unit, aprocessor of the antennas or the processor may instruct the transmitteror other components of the wireless power transmission system to executevarious actions based upon the identified position of the receiver unit.The processor of the antennas or the processor of the transmitter mayalso receive data from one or more internal sensors, one or moreexternal sensors, and heat mapping data regarding the location of thereceiver unit. The processor of the antennas or the processor of thetransmitter may then compare the location data provided by the one ormore internal sensors, the one or more external sensors, and the heatmapping data with the determined location (X, Y, Z coordinates) of theidentified object recognized as the receiver unit.

In one embodiment, based on the position of the identified receiverunit, the processor of the antennas or the processor of the transmittermay select a waveform (e.g., radio frequency waves, ultrasound waves) tobe generated by a waveform generator of the wireless power transmissionsystem that create an optimal pocket of energy for powering theidentified receiver unit. For example, based on a first position of thereceiver unit, the processor of the antennas or the processor of thetransmitter may select chirp waves for transmission, and based on asecond position of the receiver unit, the processor of the antennas orthe processor of the transmitter may select sine waves for transmission.The processor of the antennas or the processor of the transmitter mayselect the chirp waves since the frequency of the chirp wavescontinuously and/or periodically increases or decreases with time, andthe first position of the receiver unit may suggest signal parametersthat do not have a fixed frequency over a period of time.

In another embodiment, based on the position of the identified receiverunit, the processor of the antennas or the processor of the transmittermay adjust spacing of antennas in the antennas that create an optimalpocket of energy for powering the identified receiver unit. For example,the antennas may include one or more antenna arrays. Each of the one ormore antenna arrays may include one or more antennas to transmit one ormore power waves. The spacing of antennas of the one or more antennaswith respect to each other may be adjusted such that the one or morepower waves transmitted by the plurality of antennas are directed toform the pocket of energy to power the identified receiver unit.

In yet another embodiment, the antennas may include a timing circuit.Based on the position of the identified receiver unit, the processor ofthe antennas or the processor of the transmitter may control the timingcircuit such that the one or more antennas of each of the one or moreantenna arrays are configured to transmit the one or more power waves ata different time from each other based on the position of the identifiedreceiver unit. The timing circuit may also be used to select a differenttransmission time for each of the one or more antennas. In one example,the processor of the antennas or the processor of the transmitter maypre-configure the timing circuit with the timing of transmission of theone or more transmission waves from each of the one or more antennas. Inanother example, based on X, Y, Z coordinate calculated of the givenobject that is recognized as the receiver unit, the processor of theantennas or the processor of the transmitter may delay the transmissionof few transmission waves from few antennas of the one or more antennas.In yet another example, based on the comparison result of the image datareceived from the image processor and the information received from theone or more internal sensors, the one or more external sensors, and thecommunication signal, the processor of the antennas or the processor ofthe transmitter may delay the transmission of few transmission wavesfrom few antennas.

In yet another embodiment, based on the position of the identifiedreceiver unit, the processor of the antennas or the processor of thetransmitter may activate a first set of antennas of the one or moreantennas for directing the pocket of energy using the one or more powerwaves at the position of the identified receiver unit. The first set ofantennas may be selected from the one or more antennas based on distancebetween antennas of the first set of antennas that corresponds to thedesired spacing of the antennas to form the pocket of energy. In otherwords, the distance selected between antennas of the first set ofantennas may be such that the adjacent antennas are preferably far awayfrom each other, and one or more power waves transmitting from the firstset of antennas forms the pocket of energy to power the identifiedreceiver unit.

In yet another embodiment, the antennas may include at least two antennaarrays. The at least two antenna arrays comprises a first antenna arrayand a second antenna array. It should be noted that for the simplicityof explanation only the antennas with the first antenna array and thesecond antenna array is being described, however more than two antennaarrays may be included in the antennas without moving out from the scopeof the disclosed embodiments. Each of the first antenna array and thesecond antenna array may include one or more rows and one or morecolumns of antennas configured to transmit one or more power waves. Thedistance between the first antenna array and the second antenna arraymay be dynamically adjusted, by the processor of the antennas or theprocessor of the transmitter, depending on the location of theidentified receiver unit such that the one or more power wavestransmitted by antennas of the first antenna array and the secondantenna array are directed to form the pocket of energy at the targetedreceiver unit.

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of one or more transmitters of a pluralityof transmitters of a wireless power transmission system, according to anexemplary embodiment.

At step 1502, one or more cameras coupled to a transmitter may captureimage data of one or more objects in a three-dimensional region ofinterest of a transmitter that is part of a plurality of transmitters.Each of the transmitters may include a processor, such as an imageprocessor, configured to view the three-dimensional region of interestof the respective transmitter. The image processor may control orotherwise manage one or more video cameras. The one or more videocameras may include, but are not limited to, infrared cameras, thermalcameras, and visible light cameras, among others.

In some embodiments, a transmitter may include a single video camera. Insome embodiments, the transmitter may include an array of video cameras.The array of video cameras are positioned for viewing a region ofinterest of the transmitter. The region of interest correspond to someportion, or all of, a transmission field (or transmission field area) ofthe transmitter. In some cases, the region of interest may stretchbeyond the scope of the transmission field, so that the transmitter mayidentify objects before entering the transmission field. The array ofvideo cameras may be arranged in a linear array in the transmitter. Inan alternate embodiment, the various other spatial arrangementsincluding two-dimensional arrays of video cameras may be used. In someembodiments, such as an exemplary system, the cameras is a component ofthe transmitter, housed within the transmitter. In some embodiments, thecameras may be external to the transmitter and may communicate, over awired or wireless connection with one or more transmitters.

As mentioned previously, each of the transmitters may have atransmission field or energy zone where antennas of the respectivetransmitter may transmit power waves to charge the electronic devices.In some implementations, two or more transmitters may have the sametransmission field or energy zone, or portions of the respectivetransmission fields may overlap. In such implementations, the videocameras of the transmitters having overlapping transmission fields maymonitor and capture the image data of some portions of the overlappingregions of the transmission field (transmission area).

At step 1504, one or more processors of the transmitters may generatesymbolic data from image data captured by the cameras of thetransmitters. An image processor or other processor of a transmitter maycapture image data for videos or still images within a three-dimensionalregion of interest of a transmission field of the transmitter, and maythen transmit the image data to an image processor or other processor ofthe same transsmitter, a different transmitter in the plurality oftransmitters, or some central processor of a computing device configuredto consume and process image data received from the transmitters. Theparticular processor receiving and processing the image data maygenerate symbolic data from the image data.

A processor may include a single processor or a plurality of processorsfor configuring the transmitter as a multi-processor system. Theprocessor includes suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that areoperable to execute one or more instructions to perform predeterminedoperations. The processor can be realized through a number of processortechnologies known in the art. The examples of the processor include,but are not limited to, an x86 processor, an ARM processor, a ReducedInstruction Set Computing (RISC) processor, an Application-SpecificIntegrated Circuit (ASIC) processor, or a Complex Instruction SetComputing (CISC) processor.

The processor of the transmitter in the plurality of transmitters mayinclude a computer vision software or any suitable software that isprogrammed to recognize and locate the position of the one or moreobjects from the captured images. In other words, the processor of thetransmitter processes the captured images using a computer visionsoftware such as but not limited to MATLAB or OpenCV. The softwarecomprises programs configured to report X, Y, and, Z coordinates ofevery pixel in the captured images.

In order to recognize the one or more objects, the image data may beprocessed to generate the symbolic visual data. In one embodiment, thesymbolic data may include a temperature value of each of the one or moreobjects in the image data. The symbolic data may also include datarelated to number of the one or more objects, three-dimensional (XYZ)coordinates of the one or more objects, motion status of the one or moreobjects, and size of the one or more objects.

At step 1506, a processor of a transmitter in the plurality oftransmitters may receive the symbolic data generated by othertransmitters of the plurality of transmitters or by a computing devicecoupled to the transmitters.

At step 1508, the processor of the transmitter may compare the symbolicdata with pre-stored data to identify and determine position of one ormore receivers among the one or more objects. The processor of each ofthe transmitter may include a computer vision software. The computervision software of the processor is programmed to detect whetherobjects, such as person or furniture, enter a predetermined proximity ofthe transmitter, the receiver unit, the power waves, and/or a pocket ofenergy (energy pocket).

At step 1510, in one configuration, the processor may then instruct theantennas of the transmitter or other components of the system to executevarious actions based upon the detected objects. For example, theprocessor may control the transmission of one or more power transmissionwaves for charging each of the one or more receivers based on positionof the one or more receivers obtained by comparing all the symbolic datawith pre-stored data.

In another configuration, the processor may transmit the image data tothe antennas of the transmitter, and the processor of the antennas ofthe transmitter may determine which actions to execute (e.g., adjust apocket of energy, cease power wave transmission, reduce power wavetransmission). In one example, after the computer vision software of theprocessor identifies that a person has entered the transmission field oftransmitted unit, and then determines that the person is within thepredetermined proximity of the transmitter, the computer vision softwareof the processor could provide the relevant image data to thetransmitter, causing the transmitter to reduce or terminate transmissionof the power waves. In another example, after identifying the personentering the transmission field and then determining that the person hascome within the predetermined proximity of the pocket of energy, thecomputer vision software of the processor may provide the image data tothe antennas of the transmitter that causes the antennas to adjust thecharacteristics of the power waves, to diminish the amount of energyconcentrated at the pocket of energy, generate a null, and/or repositionthe location of the pocket energy.

In yet another example, the system may comprise an alarm device, whichmay produce a warning, and/or may generate and transmit a digitalmessage to a system log or administrative computing device configured toadminister the system. In this example, after the computer visionsoftware of the processor detects the person entering the predeterminedproximity of the transmitter, the power wave, and/or pocket of energy,or otherwise detects other unsafe or prohibited conditions of system, asignal may be generated and transmitted to the alarm device, which mayactivate the warning, and/or generate and transmit a notification to theadministrator device. A warning produced by the alarm may comprise anytype of sensory feedback, such as audio feedback, visual feedback,haptic feedback, or some combination.

In some embodiments, the cameras may be a component of the transmitter,housed within the transmitter. In some embodiments, the cameras may beexternal to the transmitter and may communicate, over a wired orwireless connection, the image data to one or more transmitters. Thecameras, which may be external to one or more transmitters or part of asingle transmitter, may provide the image data to the plurality oftransmitters, and the processors of the plurality of transmitters maythen share this image data with a central processor to determine theappropriate formulation and transmission of the power waves. Similarly,in some embodiments, multiple image processors may share the image datawith multiple transmitters. In such embodiments, the cameras or hosttransmitters may send and receive the image data with other imageprocessors or host transmitters in the system.

In one example of the exemplary system, a first transmitter may comprisea first cameras that captures image data, which may be stored on thefirst transmitter and/or a memory. The system may also have a secondtransmitter comprising a second cameras that captures the image data,which may be stored on the second transmitter and/or the memory of thesystem. In this example, both of the transmitters may compriseprocessors that may receive the image data from the first and secondcameras, and thus, the image data captured by the respective first andsecond cameras may be shared among the respective first and secondtransmitters. The processors of each of the first and secondtransmitters may then use the shared image data to then determine thecharacteristics for generating and transmitting power waves, which mayinclude determining whether to transmit power waves when a sensitiveobject such as a human is detected.

To enable the transmitter, to detect and confirm objects that the userwishes to exclude from receipt of wireless energy (i.e., power waves,pocket of energy), the user may communicate to the transmitterpre-stored data to be recorded in the memory unit of the transmitter.For example, the user may provide pre-stored data via a user device incommunication with the processor of the transmitter via a graphical userinterface (GUI) of the user device.

In some embodiments, tags may be assigned to particular objects and/orlocations within a transmission field. During a tagging process, taggingdata may be generated and stored into as the pre-stored data, and mayinform the transmitter about how the transmitter should be behave withregards to specific objects or locations in the transmission field. Thetagging data generated during a tagging process may inform transmitterswhether to transmit power waves to an object or location, and/or wherewithin a transmission field to transmit power waves or generate pocketof energy. For example, a record for a location in the pre-stored datamay be updated or generated with the tagging data instructing thetransmitter to never transmit power waves to the particular location.Likewise, in another example, tagging data may be populated into arecord for a location, instructing the transmitter to always transmitpower waves to that location.

In some implementations, the cameras may view sensitive objects within atransmission field that have been predetermined or “tagged” as beingsensitive. In some cases, it may be desirable to avoid particularobstacles in the transmission field, such as furniture or walls,regardless of whether the cameras has identified a person or othersensitive object, entering within proximity to the particular obstacle.As such, an internal or external memory may store pre-stored dataidentifying the particular location of the particular obstacle, therebyeffectively “tagging” the location of the particular location as beingoff-limits to the power waves. Additionally or alternatively, theparticular object may be digitally or physically associated with adigital or physical tag that produces a signal or physical manifestation(e.g. heat-signature) detectable by the cameras of the transmitter. Forexample, as part of generating image data for the transmitter, thecameras may access an internal memory that stores pre-stored datacomprising records of tagged obstacles to avoid, such as a table. Inthis example, the cameras would detect the table as a tagged obstacle,and generate the image data that causes the transmitters to reduce theamount of energy provided by the power waves where table is located,terminate the power waves being sent to the table, or redirect the powerwaves. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, thecameras may detect electrical devices that have been tagged (i.e.,previously recorded in an internal memory or external memory) to receivewireless power waves.

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of identifying objectswithin a transmission field of a transmitter of a wireless powertransmission system, according to an exemplary embodiment.

At step 1602, cameras and/or sensors coupled to a transmitter maycapture location data for objects and/or receivers within athree-dimensional region of interest of a transmitter, such as thetransmission field of the transmitter and/or some region beyond thetransmission field. The transmitter may include an cameras that isconfigured to view the three-dimensional region of interest of thetransmitter. The cameras may include one or more video cameras. The oneor more video cameras may include but not limited to infrared cameras,thermal cameras, and visible light cameras.

In some embodiments, the transmitter may include a single video camera.In another embodiment, the transmitter may include an array of videocameras of same or different types, such as infrared cameras, thermalcameras, and visible light cameras, among others. The array of videocameras may be positioned for viewing a region of interest of thetransmitter. In some cases, the region of interest corresponds to atransmission field (or transmission field area) of the transmitter. Thearray of video cameras may be arranged in a linear array in thetransmitter. In an alternate embodiment, the various other spatialarrangements including two-dimensional arrays of video cameras may beused.

In some embodiments, such as an exemplary system, the cameras may be acomponent of the transmitter, housed within the transmitter. In someembodiments, the cameras may be external to the transmitter and maycommunicate, over a wired or wireless connection with one or moretransmitters.

At step 1604, an image processor controlling operations of the one ormore cameras of the transmitter may continuously and/or periodicallycapture image data of objects within the three-dimensional region ofinterest of the transmission field of the transmitter. In someimplementations, the image processor of the transmitter may have atriggering mechanism for capturing a set of one or more image framescontaining image data of one or more regions within the transmissionfield by the one or more video cameras. The triggering mechanism mayhave a central clock signal and an optional signal delivery unit. Thecentral clock signal is delivered via the signal delivery unit to theone or more video cameras. In another embodiment, it is also possible todeliver the central clock signal directly to the one or more videocameras either by a physical connection or by a wireless connection. Inother embodiments, the one or more video cameras may have their owninternal synchronized clocks.

In one embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuit maybe configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor continuously and/or periodically capture the image data,video data, and audio data in the transmission field of the transmitter.In another embodiment, the trigger mechanism of the transmitter circuitmay be configured such that each of the one or more video cameras of theimage processor are activated at a different time with respect to eachother to capture the image data in the transmission field of thetransmitter.

The image data captured by the one or more video cameras of the imageprocessor may include images/frame capturing one or more objects withinthe transmission field of the transmitter. The one or more objects mayinclude electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, humans,animals, furniture such as chairs, receivers embedded within theelectronic devices, and receivers as individual components.

In one embodiment, the cameras may include a pair of thermal infraredcameras that are configured to recognize an object such as the humanbased on the body temperature of the humans. The pair of the thermalinfrared cameras transmit the image data to a computer vision softwareof a processor of the transmitter, and then the computer vision softwareperform the mapping between the image data collected from the twothermal infrared cameras to provide depth perception of the objects fromthe location of the transmitter. In another embodiment, the cameras mayinclude a pair of visual cameras that are configured to recognize theobjects such as the human based on the pixels. The pixels in the imagedata captured by the pair of the visual cameras may represent afrequency of visual light which may be scaled to a thermal scale such asFahrenheit and Celsius.

At step 1606, a processor of the transmitter may transmit the image datato an administrative computer or other central server of the wirelesscharging system. In some cases, so-called “raw” image data, which may beimage data captured directly from a camera before any data processing oranalytics have been performed, is sent to the administrative computerfor processing. Where a camera is a video camera, the raw image datafrom the video camera may be received via a data “stream” generated andreceived from the video camera. One having skill in the art wouldappreciate the underlying technologies used for generating, compressing,and/or transmitting a data stream for binary data representing a video.One having skill in the art would also appreciate the underlyingtechnologies used for generating, compressing, and/or transmittingindependent computing files containing one or more still images (e.g.,JPG, PDF, PNG, GIF) or videos (e.g., MP4, GIF, WMV, MOV, AVI).

In another embodiment, a symbolic data of the image data is generated bythe processor of the transmitter, and the symbolic data is transmittedto the admin computer. The symbolic data may include X, Y, Z coordinatesof the one or more objects within the raw image data, the sizes of theone or more objects, and the velocity of the one or more objects if theone or more objects are moving. In this case, the processor may includea computer vision software that may be programmed to analyze the rawimage data and search for object patterns. The stationary objects may berecognized as contiguous BLOBs of pixels of near the same backgroundcolor or the moving BLOBs of pixels which are contiguous pixels near thesame background color that are moving relative to the field of view aswell as relative to the background pixels of the field of view. Thecomputer vision software recognizes the BLOBs and then generate thesymbolic data that comprises the X, Y, Z coordinates of the center orthe centroid of the BLOB, the size of the BLOB in terms of the number ofpixels or a percentage of the pixels compared to the field of view, thevelocity of the BLOB, and the duration of the visibility of the BLOB inseconds.

At step 1608, the administrative computer or other computing device ofthe system may process the image data generated and received from thecameras. The image data may be received as the raw image data or thesymbolic data generated from the raw image data, or both. Theadministrative computer may include software that is configured toprocess the image data. For instance, the software may be programmed toidentify, and in some cases differentiate between, “non-receiver”objects, such as sensitive objects (e.g., people), receivers, andobjects comprising receivers (e.g., laptops, tablets, smartphones). Forexample, if a non-receiver object is a human being or an animal within apredetermined threshold proximity to power waves servicing a particularreceiver, the administrative computer or computing device may transmit asignal to the appropriate transmitter, instructing the transmitter toreduce the power level of the power waves servicing the receiver,redirect the power waves to a new location, or cease transmitting thepower waves altogether. The software, thereby, monitors the non-receiverobjects, and when the human or the animal gets near the receiver unit,the admin computer may send a message to the transmitter to change thephases of the antennas that transmit the power waves to reduce the powerbeing transmitter to stay within FCC power absorption limits.

The monitoring of the non-receiver objects by the admin computer of thewireless power transmission system may also be used for securitypurpose. In one example, if the non-receiver object such as the human isseen in a room when the room is locked up and there shouldn't be anyonein the room, then the administrator of the system can take necessaryaction. In another example, if the non-receiver object such as the humanfalls to the floor and is immobile longer than a certain minimum amountof time, then the information about that human such as the length of thehuman (for instance is it a child of four feet or an adult that's fiveand a half feet), snap shot of the human lying on the floor, the dateand time of when the object first became prone and how long it's beenlying on the ground may be used by the administrator of the system toalert authorities to go investigate and see if the fallen person is inmedical trouble.

In yet another example, the symbolic data generated from the raw imagedata may also include information related to the temperature of thenon-receiver object such as a person. For example, the person may have afever and the person's temperature may be recorded as 103 or 104 degreecentigrade. The temperature data may be used by the administrator of thesystem to alert authorities to call a doctor.

In yet another example, the software in the admin computer is programmedto recognize the humans either near the transmitter or near the receiverunit, and then send a message to the transmitter to control thetransmitted power towards the receiver unit based on proximity of thehuman to the receiver unit or the transmitter. Also, the transmitter maybe shut down by the administrator of the system within a specificmaximum amount of time from detection of the human nearby the receiverunit or the transmitter.

The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams areprovided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to requireor imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed inthe order presented. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the artthe steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in any order.Words such as “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended to limit the orderof the steps; these words are simply used to guide the reader throughthe description of the methods. Although process flow diagrams maydescribe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operationscan be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order ofthe operations may be re-arranged. A process may correspond to a method,a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a processcorresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return ofthe function to the calling function or the main function.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans mayimplement the described functionality in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentinvention.

Embodiments implemented in computer software may be implemented insoftware, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware descriptionlanguages, or any combination thereof. A code segment ormachine-executable instructions may represent a procedure, a function, asubprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a softwarepackage, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures,or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another codesegment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information,data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

The actual software code or specialized control hardware used toimplement these systems and methods is not limiting of the invention.Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and methods weredescribed without reference to the specific software code beingunderstood that software and control hardware can be designed toimplement the systems and methods based on the description herein.

When implemented in software, the functions may be stored as one or moreinstructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable orprocessor-readable storage medium. The steps of a method or algorithmdisclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executable softwaremodule, which may reside on a computer-readable or processor-readablestorage medium. A non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readablemedia includes both computer storage media and tangible storage mediathat facilitate transfer of a computer program from one place toanother. A non-transitory processor-readable storage media may be anyavailable media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of example,and not limitation, such non-transitory processor-readable media maycomprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage,magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any othertangible storage medium that may be used to store desired program codein the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessedby a computer or processor. Disk and disc, as used herein, includecompact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc(DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce datamagnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofcomputer-readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method oralgorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/orinstructions on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and/orcomputer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computerprogram product.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for wireless power transmission,comprising: a radio frequency wireless power transmitter that is incommunication with a video camera for capturing image data of at least aportion of a transmission field of the radio frequency wireless powertransmitter, wherein the image data comprises a series of image frames;and one or more processors of the radio frequency wireless powertransmitter configured to: detect motion of an object towards thetransmission field by applying motion tracking analysis on the series ofimage frames; and send instructions to cause adjustments to transmissionof one or more radio frequency power transmission waves by the radiofrequency wireless power transmitter to a receiving electronic devicebased on the motion of the object, wherein the receiving electronicdevice uses the one or more radio frequency power transmission waves topower or to charge a power source used by the receiving electronicdevice.